New World Symphony’s I Dream a World Festival, the annual celebration dedicated to showcasing the contributions of Black artists in music, returns to the New World Center in February 2025 for its fourth consecutive year, presenting a fusion of art, music and cultural reflection.

Themed “Transitions and Trailblazers,” the 2025 Festival is part of NWS’s Resonance of Remembrance: WWII and the Holocaust series, which commemorates and reflects upon the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and its many lessons. The Festival will focus on the pioneering influence of Black artists during the transformative period bridging the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement—two distinct yet overlapping cultural and political eras that intersected with World War II. During a time of global conflict, music became a symbol of unity and hope, and many Black composers and performers found a more receptive audience in Europe than in the United States.

The Festival also honors the legacy of trailblazing women, connecting today’s leaders like conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson, pianist Michelle Cann, and Miami University of Ohio Distinguished Professor and Park Creative Arts Endowed Professor in the Department of Music Dr. Tammy Kernodle, with iconic figures like pianist Hazel Scott and composer Julia Perry, who broke barriers in their own time.

The 2025 I Dream a World Festival is made possible with support from the NWS Collaborations Fund.

On Thursday, February 6, 2025, at New World Center and on Friday February 7, 2025 at Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, an intimate concert will showcase the lasting impact and music of pianist, singer, and civil rights activist Hazel Scott, whose artistry helped bridge classical music and jazz. Renowned pianist Michelle Cann—an ardent champion of Hazel Scott’s groundbreaking work—will pay tribute to the legendary pianist with a concert interspersed with discussions and commentary from the performers about Scott’s legacy and influence. Scott’s unique piano arrangements, blending jazz riffs with classical and popular melodies, have long been admired but never formally transcribed. To bring these brilliant works to the stage, Cann has commissioned NWS piano alumnus Wesley Ducote (2019-2023) to transcribe several of Scott’s original arrangements. Wesley will join Michelle and NWS’s two piano fellows in a captivating concert that blends conversation with performances of these newly transcribed works. The Thursday, February 6 concert will be cabaret style, with relaxed seating and drinks at New World Center. The Friday, February 7 performance at Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater is open to all ages and tickets are pay what you wish, starting at $10.

At both the New World Center and Black Archives Historic Lyric Theater, Adam Clayton Powell III–son of Hazel Scott and Reverend Adam Clayton Powell Jr.–will join Cann on stage in discussion about his mother’s life and career.

On February 8 and 9, 2025, at New World Center, conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson, founder and artistic director of the Philadelphia-based Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, will make her NWS debut, leading the NWS fellows in an orchestral program of works by Black composers who bridged the Harlem Renaissance to the Civil Rights Movement, creating musical beauty during a war-torn era. Johnson will conduct pieces that reflect the resilience and artistry of these composers. The program includes Julia Perry’s Stabat mater, featuring mezzo-soprano Briana Hunter. This dramatic hymn launched Perry’s flourishing career across continents. Also on the program is William L. Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, infused with the hopeful spirituals from his childhood, while the “Dean of African American Composers”—William Grant Still—displays his version of the American spirit in his Festive Overture.

“During World War II, which took place in the transition period between the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, Black artists like Hazel Scott, Julia Perry, William Grant Still, and William Dawson didn’t just create art—they forged a path of resistance and resilience,” said Dr. Tammy Kernodle. “In the face of persistent racial inequality, they used their craft to redefine identity, challenge stereotypes, and make their voices heard with grace and courage. We’ve shaped this year’s Festival to focus on how these artists—often working in the face of adversity—used their music to push boundaries and create profound cultural shifts. Their music was not only an expression of culture—it was a powerful tool for social change, helping to shape the future of America and the world.”

“The I Dream a World Festival, now a hallmark of New World Symphony’s annual programming, stands as a powerful platform for celebrating the lasting contributions of Black artists throughout history,” said Howard Herring, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Since its inception, the Festival has honored the transformative role that Black composers, musicians, and performers have played in shaping the evolution of classical music, particularly during pivotal moments in history. This season, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in WWII and the end of the Holocaust. As part of that project, trailblazing artists and thought leaders—such as Michelle Cann, Jeri Lynne Johnson, and Dr. Tammy Kernodle—will illuminate the lasting impact of the Black artists who shaped that era.”

I Dream a World Festival History

New World Symphony launched the inaugural festival I Dream a World: The Harlem Renaissance and Beyond in 2022, celebrating the history and influence of the cultural movement that continues to serve as a vital foundation for contemporary Black art. I Dream a World: The Harlem Renaissance in Europe followed in February 2023, exploring the transatlantic movement and influence of the Harlem Renaissance across Europe. In 2024, the Festival turned its focus to the groundbreaking contributions of Mary Lou Williams, a pioneering jazz composer, pianist, and arranger whose work bridged the worlds of classical music and jazz, shaping the soundscape of American music.