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Performances
NAPLES PHILHARMONIC
JANUARY 8-9, 2026
CONCERT
Celebrated soprano Karen Slack joins the Naples Philharmonic and Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley for the world premiere African Queens for Soprano and Orchestra, a powerful work by seven American composers. With her powerful voice and commanding stage presence, Slack honors the strength and spirit of seven historic African queens.
NAPLES PHILHARMONIC PRESENTS NEW WORLD SYMPHONY
Naples, FL
Hayes Hall
MNOP+
JANUARY 14, 2026
RECITAL
BEYOND THE YEARS: KAREN SLACK AND JOSEPH LI
Celebrated soprano Karen Slack joins the Naples Philharmonic and Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley for the world premiere African Queens for Soprano and Orchestra, a powerful work by seven American composers. With her powerful voice and commanding stage presence, Slack honors the strength and spirit of seven historic African queens.
Luminary Arts Center
Minneapolis, MN
ARIZONA CHAMBER MUSIC
JANUARY 28, 2026
RECITAL
Heralded composer Tamar-kali, whose work spans contemporary pop, classical, and film music genres, has collaborated with the Miró Quartet and soprano Karen Slack to create this special celebration of the life, times, and works of composer and pianist Margaret Bonds. The first half of the program uses the Barber String Quartet to frame a general mid-twentieth-century context for Bonds’ work. Additional repertoire features works by her teacher, Florence Price, her friend William Grant Still, and her younger contemporary George Walker. Tamar-kali’s new work, co-commissioned by Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, sets texts centered in the inspirational poetry of women of the Harlem Renaissance. Tucson Desert Song Festival is proud to include this concert in its 2026 lineup.
MIRÓ QUARTET AND KAREN SLACK
Tucson, AZ
Leo Rich Theater
SPIVEY HALL
FEBRUARY 14, 2026
RECITAL
Internationally acclaimed soprano Karen Slack joins forces with illustrious pianist Michelle Cann in a powerful recital program inspired by their 2025 Grammy® Award-winning recording, Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price. This program illuminates Price’s rightful place among the great art song composers, showcasing Florence Price’s deeply expressive and historically significant works alongside lieder by Schubert and Ravel. Slack and Cann deliver a stunning tribute to Price’s artistry.
BEYOND THE YEARS
Morrow, GA
Spivey Hall
CHAMBER MUSIC CINCINNATI
FEBRUARY 17, 2026
RECITAL
At the Grammy Awards this spring, soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann didn’t just earn a trophy for Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price. They created history. It was the first time music composed solely by a Black woman has won in that category. Ms. Slack and Ms. Cann have each performed with Chamber Music Cincinnati in recent seasons. CMC is so happy for them both and look forward to their performing selections from their winning recording.
BEYOND THE YEARS
Cincinnati, OH
Memorial Hall
PHILADELPHIA CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY
FEBRUARY 22, 2026
RECITAL
For over 25 years, the Miró Quartet has performed on the world’s most prestigious stages, showcasing their “collective intelligence [and] uncanny precision” (Musical America). Their program includes excerpts from master works by Samuel Barber and Florence Price, as well as a PCMS co-commission for soprano and quartet by the genre-defying, Brooklyn-based composer Tamar-kali. The new work spotlights Philadelphia’s own soprano Karen Slack, who brings “the right mix of grace and fire” (Schmopera) to this much-anticipated local premiere.
MIRÓ QUARTET AND KAREN SLACK
Philadelphia, PA
Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center
AMERICAN COMPOSERS ORCHESTRA
MARCH 11, 2026
CONCERT
The American Composers Orchestra (ACO) is one of today’s most prolific and passionately committed presenters of new American music. As part of Carnegie Hall’s United in Sound: America at 250 festival, ACO and soloists perform five incisive premieres by distinctive and distinguished composers Joseph C. Phillips Jr., Suzanne Kite, Shelley Washington, Jessie Montgomery, and Brittany J. Green. As described by the ensemble, these open letters to America “reflect narratives around the summer homes of turn-of-the-century Black folk, dreams, unspoken emotions, rituals of celebration, and the connection between the historic and current patriotism of Black American women.”
HELLO, AMERICA: LETTERS TO US, FROM US
New York, NY
Carnegie Hall
ORLANDO PHILHARMONIC
MAY 9-10, 2026
CONCERT
Few pieces transcend the emotional and raw power like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, a masterpiece that has inspired audiences for generations. From its stirring opening to the triumphant Ode to Joy, this iconic symphony is a true celebration of unity, hope, and the indomitable human spirit. With its soaring choral finale and unforgettable melodies, Beethoven’s Ninth is more than just a concert—it’s an emotional and uplifting journey that speaks to the soul.
BEETHOVEN'S 9TH SYMPHONY
Orlando, FL
Dr. Phililps Center
HARROWER SUMMER OPERA
JUNE 4-6, 2026
RESIDENCY
Each summer Harrower Summer Opera (HSO) produces two fully staged main stage opera productions with its Young Artist participants, with principal roles double cast to present four performances before live audiences.
SUMMER RESIDENCY
Atlanta, GA
Florence Kopleff Recital Hall
PIEDMONT OPERA
JUNE 18, 2026
CONCERT
Piedmont Opera concludes its season with Karen Slack's African Queens, a free community concert underwritten in its entirety by The John W. and Anna H. Hanes Foundation. The production is curated and performed by Grammy Award-winning soprano Karen Slack, who originated the role of Billie in Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up in My Bones. African Queens celebrates the history and legacy of seven extraordinary African queens—revered figures whose stories remain underrepresented in Western cultural narratives. The program combines powerful new works by composers including Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Will Liverman, Shawn Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, and Joel Thompson, along with traditional repertoire, spoken word, and visual art.
AFRICAN QUEENS
Winston-Salem, NC
BANFF CENTRE
JUNE 29-JULY 24, 2026
RESIDENCY
Karen Slack is a faculty member of the 2026 Summer Opera Program. Alongside workshop experiences, the program features masterclasses, coachings, seminars, mentorship, networking opportunities, and performances. These elements are designed to strengthen technical skills, deepen artistic practice, and foster the professional resilience needed for a sustainable career in opera.
SUMMER PROGRAM FACULTY
Banff, Alberta
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JULY 3 & 4, 2026
CONCERT
Celebrate our nation's 250th at Oregon Ridge Park with Music Director Jonathon Heyward and the BSO. From the rousing "Armed Forces Salute" and Star Wars to Copland's Hoe-Down and a spectacular fireworks finale with the 1812 Overture, this annual tradition fills the summer sky with sound. Pack a picnic, gather your friends and family, and join a classic Baltimore tradition.
KNOXVILLE, SUMMER OF 1915
Baltimore, MD
Oregon Ridge Park
DREAM UNFINISHED ORCHESTRA
JULY 28-30, 2026
CONCERT
Karen Slack performs Green’s Letters To America in New York City with Dream Unfinished Orchestra. The Dream Unfinished is an activist orchestra whose mission is to use classical music as a platform to engage audiences in dialogues surrounding social and racial justice.
LETTERS TO AMERICA
New York, NY
Harlem School of the Arts
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
AUGUST 11, 2026
MASTERCLASS
Praised as "one of opera’s strongest voices at present – both as a singer and a shaper of its culture” (The Washington Post) and for her “sizeable voice that captured all of the vacillating emotions” (The New York Times), soprano Karen Slack is a sought-after performer, curator, and artistic advisor. Listen and learn as Karen Slack leads a masterclass with 2026 Festival Vocal Fellows.
VOCAL FELLOWS MASTERCLASS
Chicago, IL
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
MAY 8-10, 2024
Baroque and Classical expert Jane Glover conducts this program spotlighting Mozart. Bookended by his Symphonies Nos. 35 and 39 — both full of gorgeous melodies from beginning to end — the concert features his buoyant Oboe Concerto performed by NY Phil Principal Oboe Liang Wang. Ah, perfido!, by Beethoven, one of Mozart’s most eminent heirs, is a dramatic showpiece for soprano, sung by Karen Slack.
MOZART AND BEETHOVEN WITH JANE GLOVER
New York, NY
David Geffen Hall
GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL
AUGUST 14 & 15, 2026
CONCERT
Giancarlo Guerrero brings the 2026 season to an epic close with none other than Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, a musical affirmation of humanity on a grand scale. To conclude our season-long celebration of American music, the program begins with Julia Wolfe’s raucous Liberty Bell and Michael Daugherty’s monumental Mount Rushmore.
BEETHOVEN'S 9TH SYMPHONY
Chicago, IL
Jay Pritzker Pavilion
WHEATON COLLEGE ARTIST SERIES
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
IN RECITAL
After her memorable performance in Shawn E. Okpebholo’s Songs in Flight, soprano Karen Slack returns to the Armerding Concert Hall bringing extraordinary power, warmth, and dramatic presence. A recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence and a GRAMMY® Award winner for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, Slack is celebrated for her bold artistry, visionary storytelling, and performances on many of the world’s most prestigious stages.
IN RECITAL
Wheaton, IL
Armerding Center
ELEVATE VOCAL ARTS
NOVEMBER 18-20, 2026
CONFERENCE
Bent But Not Broken is a movement elevating Black vocal artists' musical contributions and accomplishments across time and genres. Now in its fourth year, BBNB offers full-length and abbreviated conferences with interest sessions, immersion choirs, panel discussions, honor choirs, and performances. This year's offerings center around the theme of Joy As Resistance.
BENT BUT NOT BROKEN
Philadelphia, PA
Multiple Venues
ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
FEBRUARY 19, 2027
CONCERT
The A2SO welcomes two world-class artists to Hill Auditorium this month. Acclaimed soprano, 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence winner, and 2025 Grammy Award winner Karen Slack presents African Queens, a song cycle celebrating the legacies of powerful African queens. Each piece is composed by a member of the Blacknificent 7: Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, Jessie Montgomery, Shawn Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, and Joel Thompson.
AFRICAN QUEENS
Ann Arbor, MI
Hill Auditorium
NASHVILLE SYMPHONY
MARCH 4 & 5, 2027
CONCERT
Guest conductor Anna Rakitina and soprano Karen Slack combine for a program that celebrates women’s voices in music. African Queens, co-commissioned by the Nashville Symphony, features new music by seven of today's most acclaimed composers, each painting a portrait of historic African queens largely unknown to Western audiences.
AFRICAN QUEENS
Nashville, TN
Schermerhorn Symphony Center
NAPLES PHILHARMONIC
MARCH 20, 2027
CONCERT
The final Masterworks program devoted to Beethoven sees Alexander and the orchestra — along with the Naples Philharmonic Chorus — for Jake Runestad’s touching choral reflection on Beethoven’s struggle with deafness before turning to the Ninth Symphony, his monumental finale that shattered the traditional symphonic form.
BEETHOVEN'S 9TH SYMPHONY
Naples, FL
Hayes Hall
PACIFIC SYMPHONY
JUNE 10-12, 2027
CONCERT
Gershwin’s An American in Paris leads a vibrant season finale, brimming with jazz-inflected color and Parisian flair. Soprano Karen Slack takes center stage in the West Coast premiere of African Queens, honoring the strength and spirit of seven historic African queens. The program is rounded out by Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral and Ravel’s La Valse, a swirling dance of mounting intensity.
AFRICAN QUEENS
Costa Mesa, CA
Segerstrom Concert Hall
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