EXPERIENCE the transformative power of
Black classical artistry!
Unfolding at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and across New York City—including the iconic Carnegie Hall—the Gateways Spring Festival 2025 invites audiences through a tapestry of intimate recitals, bold new works, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiring educational initiatives, crowned by The Gateways Festival Orchestra—composed of Black professional musicians from the nation’s leading orchestras and music faculties—under the baton of Anthony Parnther.
Join us to celebrate the past, present, and future of classical music.
Rochester, NY events April 21-24
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Gateways Festival Orchestra
THURS. APR. 24, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Kodak Hall, Eastman Theatre
Rochester, NYAnthony Parnther conducts Gateways Festival Orchestra in Dvořák, Dawson, and the world premiere of Damien Sneed’s Reflections of Resilience, with Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges.
New York, NY EVENTS April 24-27
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Gateways Festival Orchestra
Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 2:00 PM
Carnegie Hall, New York, NYGateways Festival Orchestra, led by Anthony Parnther, performs Dvořák, Dawson, and the New York premiere of Damien Sneed’s Reflections of Resilience, featuring mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges.
STAY UP TO DATE
Rochester, NY
April 21-24
New York, NY
April 24-27
As we enter 2025, Gateways Music Festival stands as a beacon of possibility—bringing people together through Black classical artistry, celebrating excellence, and inspiring through performance, conversation, and community.
From April 21–27, the Spring Festival brings an extraordinary lineup to Rochester and New York City. Pianist Rochelle Sennet launches the week, Curtis Stewart reimagines The Four Seasons, and the Gateways Brass Collective brings its brilliance to both cities. The Paul J. Burgett Lecture explores cultural import and impact, while the Gateways Festival Orchestra, led by Anthony Parnther, culminates at Carnegie Hall performing William Levi Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony along with J’Nai Bridges and a new Gateways commission by Damien Sneed.
More than a festival, Gateways is a home—a place where Black classical musicians shine in their fullness and where communities gather to listen, learn, and celebrate. Join us to celebrate the legacy and future of classical music—one as rich and expansive as the voices shaping it.
Warmly,
Alex Laing
President and Artistic Director, Gateways Music Festival
Welcome to gateways SPRING festival!
FESTIVAL Highlights
ANTHONY
PARNTHER
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Anthony Parnther, Music Director of the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, has conducted major orchestras and artists across continents and genres, championing underrepresented composers, and receiving New York Times recognition as “a versatile, open-minded conductor.” He led the Gateways Festival Orchestra's Carnegie Hall debut in 2022, and continues conducting each season.
J’Nai
Bridges
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Two-time Grammy-winning J’Nai Bridges is known for her captivating presence and plush voice (New York Times). Her 2024-25 season includes singing Maddalena (debut) in the Met’s Rigoletto, concerts and opera appearances across the United States and Europe, including the title role in Carmen at the Vienna State Opera
DAMIEN
SNEED
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As recording artist and instrumentalist, Damien Sneed is versatile–pianist, vocalist, composer, conductor, educator–collaborating with legends across genres and receiving prestigious awards. His commissioned works include operas and ballets, and recently a classical composition for solo piano commissioned by the Library of Congress to be released on Apple Music’s Platoon Records.
Curtis
Stewart
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Six-time Grammy-nominated violinist and composer Curtis Stewart blends diverse styles and explores citizenship through music. Artistic Director of the American Composers Orchestra and a Juilliard professor, he's a 2025 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipient. He recently toured his compositions with Sphinx Virtuosi, including a world-premiere composition co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall.
Rochelle
Sennet
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Rochelle Sennet earned her doctorate from the University of Illinois where she is a Professor of Piano and Associate Dean. She has released three volumes of Bach to Black: Suites for Piano, featuring work by Black composers. She is a voting member of The Recording Academy and a Yamaha Artist.
Gateways brass
collective
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William Levi Dawson (1899–1990) was an influential American composer, conductor, and music educator. Best known for his Negro Folk Symphony, he brilliantly fused African American folk traditions with classical music. Dawson taught at Tuskegee University, where he founded and conducted the Tuskegee Institute Choir, elevating African American choral music to international acclaim.
Dr. Louise Toppin
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Internationally acclaimed soprano Louise Toppin is a scholar and professor specializing in the concert repertoire of African-American composers. Her stage and recording career includes operatic, orchestral, and oratorio performances across the globe. A sought-after clinician, lecturer, and board member at prestigious institutions, has received numerous awards, honors and accolades.
WIlliam levi
dawson
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The Gateways Brass Collective is the only all-Black professional brass ensemble in the U.S., delivering dynamic performances and inspiring educational programs since 2018. A resident ensemble of Gateways Music Festival, they’ve performed at major festivals nationwide, showcasing versatility across classical, jazz, and contemporary music while uplifting Black classical excellence.
Gateways fesTIVAL OrchestRa enlightens through the power of performance
The Gateways Festival Orchestra brings together Black professional musicians from the nation’s leading orchestras and music faculties for exhilarating performances that celebrate the richness of the classical tradition. As the heart of Gateways Music Festival, the orchestra provides a home for Black classical artists to connect, collaborate, and share their artistry with audiences. Through dynamic concerts and thoughtfully curated programs, the orchestra highlights the profound contributions of Black musicians to classical music, honoring history while shaping its future.
FESTIVAL venue INFORMATION
ROCHESTER, NY VENUE INFORMATION
Hatch Recital Hall, Eastman School of Music
433 East Main St., Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: (585) 274-1000
Hatch Recital Hall 3D Tour
Kodak Hall, Eastman School of Music
60 Gibbs St., Rochester, NY 14604
Phone: (585) 274-1000
Explore Kodak Hall
Hochstein Performance Hall
50 N Plymouth Ave, Rochester, NY 14614
Phone: (585) 454-4596
Visit Hochstein Performance Hall
NEW YORK, NY VENUE INFORMATION
Carnegie Hall
57th Street and, 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 247-7800
Visit Carnegie Hall
Kaufman Music Center - Merkin Hall
129 W 67th St, New York, NY 10023
Phone: (212) 501-3330
Visit Kaufman Music Center
The Harlem School of the Arts
645 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10030
Phone: (212) 926-4100
About Harlem School of the Arts
Connect with Gateways
