The New World Symphony and Artistic Director Michael Tilson Thomas present I Dream a World: The Harlem Renaissance and Beyond, a multi-disciplinary, multi-tiered festival that aims to celebrate the history and influence of this cultural movement. This festival of orchestral music, talks, recitals, poetry readings, and chamber music is led by Michael Tilson Thomas in collaboration with musicologist Dr. Tammy Kernodle. Collaborators include pianist Michelle Cann, poet P. Scott Cunningham, conductor Thomas Wilkins, and poet Kevin Young. The festival also features an exhibition curated by Christopher Norwood, a special presentation from The Wolfsonian/FIU, and a screening of the film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom presented by the American Black Film Festival.
A spokesperson for the festival says, “The Harlem Renaissance helped to establish the authority of Black artists over the representation of Black culture and experience and set the stage for contemporary Black artists shaping American culture. The I Dream a World festival seeks to capture and celebrate this legacy.”
Festival organizers describe the events as follows:
