Valerie Simpson Presents Damien Sneed’s Revelation & Jubilation Live Recording at The Town Hall

NEW YORK — Valerie Simpson will launch Black Music Month with a live recording of Revelation & Jubilation: A Symphony of Spirit at The Town Hall on June 5.

The concert features composer and conductor Damien Sneed and his ensemble, The Orchestra of Tomorrow, in a night organizers describe as a sweeping tribute to Black musical expression.

Simpson said Sneed’s music moved her to bring the project to a wider audience.

“His songs shouted out hope and inspiration!” she said in the statement.

She added that his work offered “newness” during “dark times and uncertainty.”

The performance follows the work’s world premiere at Carnegie Hall in February.

A Genre‑Blending Symphony

The program will blend African drumming, spoken word, spirituals, art songs and symphonic arrangements. Organizers describe the piece as “a sweeping and immersive journey” that connects traditions through Sneed’s “singular artistic vision.”

Sneed said the work serves as “a meditation on America at 250,” inviting audiences to reflect on the nation’s past and future. He added that the recording will extend the project “into the broader cultural archive.”

Star‑Studded Guest Lineup

The concert will feature several guest artists, including:

• Kim Burrell
• Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark
• Jacqueline Echols‑McCarley
• Wynell Freeman
• Gary McClellan
• Phylicia Rashad
• Juandolyn Stokes
• Matthew Whitaker

Event Details

The concert will take place at The Town Hall, located at 123 West 43rd Street. Tickets start at $35, with limited VIP packages that include a signed poster.

For more information, visit https://www.thetownhall.org/