(top) Duke Ellington, New York, N.Y., ca. Nov. 1946; (middle) Renese King performs ‘America the Beautiful’ at Concert for the City at Boston Symphony Hall, September 2024; (bottom) Thomas Wilkins, BSO artistic partner of education and community engagement and Germeshausen youth and family concerts conductor.

A free symphony concert commemorates Duke Ellington

Mission Hill’s Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will soon come alive with the jazzy riffs and foot-tapping notes of Duke Ellington’s catalog. During a special community concert to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ellington’s death, audience members can swing along to dynamic works like “Three Black Kings” and “Night Creature.”

Presented by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center and Boston’s Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the concert is free and open to the public, though reservations are required.

“The opportunity to present this incredible music in an historic church with such deep and longstanding ties to Boston’s Black community is both a gift and an honor,” said Thomas Wilkins, BSO artistic partner of education and community engagement and Germeshausen youth and family concerts conductor, who will conduct the show. “This concert will make all spirits soar.”

The concert will also feature selections from Ellington’s Sacred Concert series, a parallel to European church music that draws from Black musical traditions like jazz, gospel, spirituals and blues. These are presented in an oratorio style featuring vocalist Renese King, who has previously worked with the Pops on gospel presentations. This will be her first time performing with the BSO. King will be accompanied by a choir of 12 vocalists selected from local churches and the wider community for a truly immersive neighborhood experience.

“By paying homage to Duke Ellington’s work in the Sacred Concerts, we not only honor a groundbreaking moment in music history but also affirm our shared commitment to cultural expression and community empowerment,” said Greater Roxbury Arts and Culture Center Inaugural President and CEO Taneshia Nash Laird. “Ellington’s Sacred Concerts defy traditional boundaries, blending jazz, gospel and spirituals in a way that resonates deeply with the cultural roots of our community.”

The concert will honor Ellington and the rich history of Black music in the United States while also celebrating the impact of accessible art experiences in the Mission Hill and Greater Roxbury neighborhoods.

“A Tribute to Duke Ellington” will be performed at Boston’s Basilica on November 8 at 7 p.m. Free tickets can be reserved at bso.org. This is the symphony’s first time performing at the Basilica, a diverse, inclusive parish that has served the Mission Hill community for almost 150 years.

Wilkins and Laird hope the same sense of community that’s built in the church’s regular services will translate to this evening of musical spirituality.

Laird said, “This collaboration reflects GRACC’s mission to uplift diverse talent, celebrate the richness of the African diaspora and use the arts as a catalyst for positive change in Nubian Square and beyond.”

ON THE WEB

Reserve free tickets: bso.org/events/duke-ellington