The Gateways Music Festival is making its triumphant return to New York City this week, offering a tribute to the power, precision, and legacy of Black classical artistry. After opening with a series of recitals and community conversations in Rochester, the Spring Festival 2025 arrives in Manhattan April 24–27, culminating in a grand finale at Carnegie Hall that’s shaping up to be a spiritual and sonic homecoming.
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For those who don’t know, Gateways is a cultural movement. A reclamation. A reminder that Black classical musicians have always been here, composing, conducting, and carrying traditions forward even when the spotlight didn’t follow. And this year’s programming? Let’s just say it’s rooted in reverence and blooming in brilliance.
At the heart of it all is the Gateways Festival Orchestra, a powerhouse ensemble made up entirely of Black classical musicians from across the country. Their return to Carnegie Hall on April 27 marks their first performance at the legendary venue since their historic sold-out debut in 2022. Once again under the baton of Anthony Parnther, the program reflects the heartbeat of the diaspora—pairing folk traditions from Dvořák’s Bohemia with Negro spirituals reimagined for modern ears.
The centerpiece of the concert is the New York premiere of “Reflections of Resilience: Five Spirituals” by celebrated composer Damien Sneed, featuring Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges. And if that wasn’t enough, the program closes with William Levi Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, returning to Carnegie Hall for the first time in over 90 years since its own debut there. These performances are reckonings with history, and love letters to the legacy we carry.
But Gateways doesn’t stop at one stage. The week is filled with lectures, masterclasses, and solo recitals across the city, designed to nurture the next generation while honoring those who paved the way. Highlights include:
- Violinist Curtis Stewart presenting Seasons of Change at Merkin Hall, a reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons through an Afrofuturist lens that centers memory, climate justice, and the voices of the unhoused.
- Pianist Rochelle Sennet performing selections from her Bach to Black series at Harlem School of the Arts, pairing J.S. Bach with works by Florence Price, George Walker, and other Black composers.
- The Gateways Brass Collective, the only all-Black professional brass quintet in the U.S., leading mentorship sessions for young musicians.
- A William Levi Dawson Symposium at Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Wing, bridging academic and community dialogue on the composer’s legacy with panel discussions and a special recital by soprano Amber Rogers.
Gateways Music Festival President and Artistic Director Alex Laing summed it up best:
“Gateways isn’t just a festival—it’s a home. A place where Black classical musicians bring their full selves to the stage, and where audiences can come together to listen, connect, and celebrate.”
As Black artists continue to challenge notions of who belongs in classical spaces, Gateways is not only curating concerts—it’s crafting a new canon.
Stay tuned—I Love Us will have a correspondent on site for the Carnegie Hall finale and select festival moments. Follow us for updates, behind-the-scenes interviews, and exclusive footage as we celebrate the sound of legacy.
For more info and full schedule, visit www.gatewaysmusicfestival.org.
Cover photo: Gateways Festival Orchestra Returns to Carnegie Hall for a Weeklong Celebration of Black Classical Excellence / Photo courtesy of Gateways Music Festival
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