Our annual Black History Concert Series honors and celebrates Africana music and its indelible impact on Chicago and the world.
This year, we shift our focus from history to tomorrow's horizons as we celebrate Black Futures Month. We honor not just the contributions and achievements of people of African descent throughout history, but today's visionaries—motivating a new generation of free thinkers, leaders, innovators and advocates. Uniting Voices Chicago continues its commitment to rigorous performance education and the visibility of authentic Africana music by celebrating Afrofuturism, the convergence of art, science, technology, and accurate histories of Africana civilizations in pursuit of infinite liberation and possibility. Join us for a musical journey through time and space, spanning genres of jazz, soul, funk, pop, hip-hop, African-American spiritual and Afrobeat.
Ticketing
Tickets are free and general admission. Limited tickets will also be available at the door. Upon arrival at the Chicago Symphony Center, you will check in with the Uniting Voices Chicago info desk to receive your tickets. For larger parties and accessibility needs, please reach out to info@unitingvoiceschicago.org!
Parking
We recommend parking at the Grant Park South Garage, located at 325 S. Michigan Ave. For a full list of transit and parking options, visit the Chicago Symphony Center website.
Please enter Symphony Center through the main doors at 200 S. Michigan Ave.
School Programs
Singers from the following School Programs will join Voice of Chicago onstage at the Chicago Symphony Center for this musical celebration!
Alain Locke Charter School
Belmont-Cragin Elementary School
Orville T. Bright Elementary School
Salmon P Chase Public School
CICS Irving Park
Gresham School of Excellence
James Hedges Fine & Performing Arts School
Intercultural Montessori Language School
Kate Starr Kellogg Elementary School
LaSalle Language Academy
Joseph Lovett Elementary School
Morrill Math & Science Specialty School
National Teachers Elementary Academy
The Nettelhorst School
Polaris Charter Academy
A.N. Pritzker School
Prussing Elementary School
Theophilus Schmid Elementary School
Elizabeth H. Sutherland Elementary School
George B. Swift Specialty School
West Park STEAM Academy
Wildwood IB World Magnet School
Richard Yates Elementary School
Ella Flagg Young Elementary School
Chicago State University Community Jazz Band was started in 1992 by Professor Roxanne Stevenson as an answer to the need for music reading sessions for local musicians. The Community Concert and Jazz Bands began with five musicians playing their major instruments for one ensemble and their secondary instruments for the other. The two ensembles have had over 400 members of all ages and have performed hundreds of selections from standard and contemporary repertoire. The Jazz band performed at the historic Milt Trenier’s nightclub, CSU Jazz Night Café, Jazz in the Grass, Jazz on the Hill, Orchestra Hall, graduations, galas and basketball games. The band has presented clinics and performances at the Illinois Music Education Association All-State Conference, Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Jazz Education Network Conference, Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Courtyard Festival, Woodson Library Reopening, Macy’s Black History Month Celebration, NAMN Centennial Conference and many band festivals. The ensemble celebrates 33 years of service to the 158-year-old CSU community.
The world-renowned Leo Catholic High School Choir is a shining beacon of talent, resilience, and hope from Chicago’s South Side. Representing Leo Catholic High School, an all-minority, all-male institution with a nearly 100-year legacy, the choir reflects the school’s commitment to cultivating leaders, scholars, and changemakers. This extraordinary ensemble has captured hearts across the city and beyond with its powerful performances and inspiring message. Recent highlights include an unforgettable performance for the 2024 Democratic National Convention and the Chicago Survivors’ Open Hearts for Broken Hearts Benefit. The choir also took center stage at the Black Excellence graduation ceremony at the University of Illinois-Chicago, uplifting audiences with its dynamic blend of talent and purpose. With a repertoire spanning gospel, R&B, hip-hop, patriotic anthems, and traditional spirituals, the choir bridges generations and genres to deliver a message of unity, empowerment, and hope. Each song serves as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the African-American community and the resilience that defines Chicago’s South Side.