Join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on June 19 for a free community concert, “Celebrating Juneteenth” in honor of Juneteenth. The program will include works from Black artists such as John Carter, Rollo Dilworth, Robert Gibson, Florence Price, Andre Thomas, and William Grant Still performed by SLSO’s IN UNISON Chorus. SLSO’s IN UNISON partner, First Baptist Church of Chesterfield, or FBCC, will host the concert from 2–3 p.m.
Music of celebration and remembrance will be shared by about 25 SLSO IN UNISON singers performing alongside a rhythm section and string quartet of SLSO musicians. FBCC’s music ministry will also perform some song selections, including the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
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Pastor Christopher L. Rogers will speak throughout the concert, sharing the history of FBCC and African Schoolhouse No. 4. A young artist from the IN UNISON program, Alexandar Johnson, and poet Teresia Simmons will also speak at the event and share poems including “Freedom,” and “Images of My People.”
Following the concert, attendees will be able to tour FBCC’s memorial slave cemetery from 3:15–4:15 p.m. In addition, Saint Louis County Parks is also partnering with the SLSO to offer tours of African Schoolhouse No. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Juneteenth. This one-room schoolhouse used to educate Black children in Chesterfield was restored in Faust Park and dedicated earlier this year.
This will be SLSO’s third annual commemoration of the Juneteenth holiday. SLSO’s IN UNISON Program has been partnering with predominantly Black churches since 1992 and has continued to expand their program over the past 30 years by partnering with more than 30 churches throughout the region, including FBCC.
SLSO’s IN UNISON program coordinator, Michelle Byrd, shared that both SLSO and FBCC are looking forward to this opportunity to honor the Juneteenth holiday and continue to educate the community.
“Overall, it’s about educating everyone with the importance of changing our mindsets, having an understanding of how we can work together and continue to teach the community at large,” says Byrd. “It’s about sharing the importance of what it means to be free in all areas and changing the mindset for us to all move in solidarity together.”
“Celebrating Juneteenth” is a free concert, but RSVPs are encouraged. Doors open at 1 p.m., and seating is first-come, first-served.
