Presenting “Justice & Peace," A Full Chorus and Orchestra Concert With Two World Premiere Pieces

With a flourish of percussion and brass, star vocal soloists, and a glorious wall of sound from over 150 singers, The Washington Chorus is thrilled to announce its season ending concert “Justice & Peace,” taking place at 5 pm on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, DC.

Led by Washington Chorus Artistic Director Eugene Rogers in his first live and in person full chorus and orchestra performance since being appointed Artistic Director in the spring of 2020, “Justice & Peace” is offered as a meditative and transformative live music experience on critically important social impact themes that resonate with all listeners today: praying for peace in a world of global wars and working for equality and justice in a time of continued inequities.

For the concert, The Washington Chorus is joined by a full orchestra and star soloists Karen Slack, soprano, and Kerry Wilkerson, baritone, performing composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ beautiful and poignant plea for peace, “Dona Nobis Pacem,” as well as two brand new world premiere works, both of them commissioned by TWC: composer Damien Geter’s “Symphony no. 1, Justice Symphony,” which weaves together traditional hymn and civil rights tunes in a powerful musical statement, and University of Michigan faculty member/composer Roshanne Etezady’s new “Become the Sky” for chorus and brass, composed to celebrate the occasion of Artistic Director Eugene Rogers’ first major chorus and orchestra concert in the position.

The TWC “Justice & Peace” live chorus and orchestra concert experience on June 12 by The Washington Chorus will be a space for connection, meditation, healing, and hope at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Highlights of the experience include:

  • Three beautiful pieces of music sung by a large full chorus (over 150 singers) and full orchestra (over 70 orchestra members), with star vocal soloists Karen Slack and Kerry Wilkerson

  • The beautiful and calm atmosphere of the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, during which audience members will be invited to “make peaceful connections” amongst one another.

  • Opportunities to connect before, during, and after the concert with our “Justice & Peace” community partner organizations, each of them working for equality, justice, and peace both in the Washington, DC community and across the globe.

In advance of the June 12 “Justice & Peace” Washington Chorus live concert, TWC will share out a series of informational and educational videos and reels featuring Artistic Director Eugene Rogers, composers Damien Geter and Roshanne Etezady, and collaborating artists, across the organization’s website, YouTube, TikTok, and other digital and social media channels.

Tickets for The Washington Chorus’ Sunday, June 12 Kennedy Center Concert Hall “Justice & Peace” live music experience are on sale now ($15-$59) here.

Emma Moores2022