The lecture series continues during Black History Month as Emancipation Park Conservancy teams up with the Society of Performing Arts to host Behind the Curtain with Mr. Damien Sneed, award winning recording artist.  

This year, Sneed embarks on a 36-city North American tour, We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  in celebration of the 35th Anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which was signed into law and made a federal holiday in 1983. Inspired by the words and action of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Damien Sneed’s We Shall Overcome showcases repertoire from across the African American music traditions that electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders with interwoven spoken word from Dr. King’s recorded speeches. Damien will discuss the creative process behind this amazing work.

The production ties together a living lineage of music and culture that includes traditional gospel, modern gospel, classical, jazz, Broadway, and spirituals.  From Aretha Franklin to Wynton Marsalis; Duke Ellington to Stevie Wonder; Nina Simone to Donny Hathaway; and traditional spirituals and music from “the Wiz,” Damien’s unique understanding of each genre allows him to fluidly cover so much musical ground in a single performance. We can't wait to hear more about what went on Behind the Curtain in this production.

The tour stops through Houston, TX on Sunday, February 9, 2020, and we're excited to have Damien join us at Emancipation Park on February 10th. Tickets for the show can be purchased on the Society of Performing Arts website but RSVP with us for an intimate conversation with Damien about this amazing production!

Special Thanks to our Event Partner

Sponsored By 

Guest Speaker

Damien Sneed  
 Award Winning Recording Artist
 

Damien Sneed is a pianist, organist, conductor, composer, producer, arranger, and arts educator whose work spans multiple genres. Sneed has worked with jazz, classical, pop, and R&B legends including the late Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis, Jessye Norman, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Ashford & Simpson, Lawrence Brownlee, and many others. The multi-genre recording artist is a recipient of the prestigious Sphinx Medal of Excellence, which is presented annually to emerging Black and Latino leaders in classical music.

Joining Sneed on the We Shall Overcome tour is an ensemble of multi-genre vocalists and instrumentalists including Chenee Campbell (vocalist), Markita Knight (vocalist), Anitra McKinney (vocalist), Alicia Peters-Jordan (vocalist), Annalisha Jacobs (vocalist), Tekesha Russell (vocalist), Linny Smith (vocalist), and Aaron Chisholm (vocalist), along with classical recording artists Patrice Eaton, Audrey DuBois Harris, Brandie Sutton, and Kierra Hogan, who will all appear on select tour dates. The musicians include Mark Clark (drums), John Matthew Clark (bass), and Marquéz Cassidy (organ and keyboard). Sneed recently joined the acclaimed staff of the Houston Grand Opera (HGO) as Music Director and Composer in Residence and serves as cover conductor for HGO mainstage productions under Patrick Summers, Artistic and Music Director. He has been commissioned to compose new work for Houston Grand Opera which will have its world premiere on March 5, 2020, at the Cullen Theater.

For more information on Damien Sneed, visit www.damiensneed.com.

 Moderator

Jason Oby 
Chair, Department of Music
Texas Southern University 

Jason Oby has performed as a soloist in opera, oratorio, and as a recitalist at venues throughout the United States, as well as in Europe and Asia. Some highlights include performances as one of the acclaimed Three Mo’ Tenors wherein he toured performing excerpts from opera, Broadway, jazz, and Motown.  Oby has also received recognition for his work as an opera singer, recitalist, oratorio and concert soloist and choral conductor.

His international performing credits include successful concert tours as a conductor or as a soloist in Japan, Hungary, The Czech Republic and Romania.  Among the many favorable press reviews for his singing is this comment from the Washington Post: “Special praise is in order for Jason Oby’s golden tones… he has a first-rate sound: sweet, accurate, and flexible, a real pleasure to listen to.” The New Yorker Magazine described his voice as “mellifluous.”  Continuing as a regular performer with numerous local and regional performing arts organizations, Oby’s singing is regularly heard on the local public broadcasting affiliate and on television.

He is a Professor of Music (voice) at Texas Southern University in Houston where he serves as Chairman of the Department of Music, and Interim Assistant Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences. Oby is also the Artistic Director of The Houston Ebony Opera Guild and as such he conceives, plans, produces and frequently performs in many of their active season of performances.