“With Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite It’s Like if Tchaikovsky Walked Into a
1950s or 1960s Club and Wanted to Jazz Out…” — Kedrick Armstrong, guest conductor and Freeman Fellow Alum
In this 60-second clip, Kedrick Armstrong shares what makes Ellington’s Nutcracker such a bold and joyful twist on tradition. It’s short, but it says everything you need to know about the vibe of Holidays of Hope.
This year’s program also highlights composers too often left out of the holiday canon — including Augusta Holmès, Vítězslava Kaprálová, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor — celebrating the season with music that’s global, inclusive, and full of heart.
Holidays of Hope is December 19-20. Click here to learn more and purchase your tickets.