Two free concerts will be held at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre (The Amp) on Saturday, June 19, to celebrate Juneteenth as part of the St. Augustine Music Festival’s 15th anniversary celebration.
Both concerts will include "the songs and music of freedom," the Amp said in a news release. Juneteenth, which is also known as Emancipation Day and Freedom Day, celebrates the ending of slavery in the U.S.
The St. Augustine Music Festival (SAMF) will bring together musicians from its own orchestra and those of the Ritz Chamber Players and multi-community choirs to “Let Freedom Sing on Junteenth!” and honor Freedom Day with a selection of spirituals and classical works that will rejoice in the triumphs of the civil rights movement.
“We are honored to work with the African American music community to develop a program celebrating the songs and music of freedom,” said SAMF Artistic Director Jorge Peña in an email sent to WJCT News.
The 3 p.m. concert will feature words from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., among others, and works from composers Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Jesse Williams, Keith Hampton and Roland Carter.
The 7:30pm concert will feature old and new classical music from Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Beethoven, Stravinsky and Jessie Montgomery.
Both concerts are free but registering online for tickets is required:
An African American art and photography exhibit, curated by the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center and the St. Augustine Art Association, will displayed between concerts.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
