Galveston – In a moving tribute to freedom and heritage, the Galveston Galveston Symphony Orchestra is gearing up for “Spirit and Soul” their second annual Juneteenth concert.
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, marks the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers arrived in Galveston to announce the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. In 1979, the State of Texas declared June 19 a state holiday. 1979 was also the same year the GSO was founded. It did not become a federal holiday until 2021 when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law.
On June 16 at the historic 1894 Grand Opera House, the concert aims to honor that pivotal moment in American history through the power of music from African-American spirituals to the age of jazz.
“It’s probably one of the most American genres of music that was ever created and very much came from the tradition of the African-American spiritual and gospel music,” said Galveston Symphony Orchestra’s director of music Christina Leblanc.
In addition to the instrumental performances, the Galveston Heritage Chorale led by Melissa Dightman is collaborating with the GSO for the special concert. GHC was founded in 1992 by Mrs. Izola Collins, for the specific purpose of preserving and promoting the singing of African American spirituals
“To be able to participate in making sure this particular music continues to have its value and preserve it and also performance practices are very important as well. It excites me and makes me happy, especially in my hometown,” said Dightman.
Highlights of the program include works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Florence Price, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong. One piece that is sure to stand out is “Galveston Survives” composed by Ms. Izola Collins. Leblanc performed an excerpt of the piece in Studio B as a preview. Mrs. Collins says the composition represented the history and resiliency of her beloved home city.
Tickets for the Juneteenth “Spirit and Soul” concert are available online and at the Grand 1894 Opera House box office. For more information, you can reach out to the Galveston Symphony Orchestra or the Galveston Heritage Chorale.