Voices of Democracy: Two Philadelphia Choral Events This October

Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, will resound this October with voices raised in unity, hope, and reflection. Two landmark choral events—Sing Democracy 250 and Singing City’s Democracy in Song: American Voices—invite audiences to experience how music can illuminate the past, speak to the present, and inspire the future.

Sing Democracy 250: A National Movement Begins in Philadelphia

We are delighted to announce the first Signature Concert and the world premiere of Sing Democracy 250! The event will be held on October 12, 2025, at Marian Anderson Hall in the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. This event is free to the public, but you need to reserve tickets in advance. Click here for Sing Democracy 250 tickets.

This world-premiere performance will bring together the Together In Hope Choir from Minneapolis/St. Paul and the Philadelphia Youth Choral Ensembles (PYCE), the preeminent music education and performance organization for children and youth in the Greater Philadelphia region. Under the direction of G. Phillip Shoultz, III, Artistic Director, these choirs will unite in song to launch a movement of national significance.

Conceived by Gary Aamodt and Celia Ellingson of the Together In Hope Project, Sing Democracy 250 seeks to unite choirs from all 50 states in a sweeping choral commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. HNS member Mary Duden is a vibrant member of Sing Democracy 250!

From this premiere in Philadelphia, the program will ripple outward, inspiring choirs across the country to lend their voices to the call for unity, justice, and a “more perfect union.”

As the organizers remind us: “Democracy depends on all of us. We, the people, are the key.” Music—timeless, communal, and deeply human—becomes the language through which this truth is proclaimed.

Singing City: Democracy in Song, Part II—American Voices

One day later, on Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 3:00 p.m. at the Friends Center (Race Street Room), Philadelphia’s own Singing City presents Democracy in Song: Part II—American Voices.

Founded in 1948 as one of the first racially integrated choirs in the nation, Singing City has always been more than a choir—it has been a movement. With a mission to educate, motivate, and empower communities through choral artistry, the ensemble has been a pioneering force in Philadelphia’s cultural landscape for more than 75 years.

The choir is under the artistic leadership of Dr. Rollo Dilworth, an internationally renowned conductor, composer, and educator whose work bridges gospel, spirituals, and classical traditions. Dilworth is celebrated not only for his artistry but also for his deep commitment to community building through music.

Leading the organization is Mike Bolton, Executive Director, well-known in Philadelphia as a classical music radio host on WRTI 90.1 FM and as a national lecturer on opera and choral repertoire, and founder of the High Note Society. Together, Dilworth and Bolton continue the legacy of Singing City’s founders—carrying forward the choir’s mission to create dialogue, foster empathy, and build bridges through song.

This concert is framed as a “choral conversation,” blending call-and-response moments with works that explore the cultural and historical threads shaping America’s story.

The repertoire highlights diverse voices:

• Jocelyn Hagen’s American Dream, reflecting aspirations and challenges of belonging

• Ysaÿe Barnwell’s Spiritual, rooted in African American tradition and resilience

• Alice Parker’s On the Common Ground, evoking shared community

• Sydney Guillame’s Finding a Home, a Haitian-American composer’s meditation on migration and identity

• Kevin Siegfried’s arrangement of the Shaker tune Vum Vive Vum, celebrating simplicity and unity

Together, these works invite audiences not only to listen but to reflect, respond, and participate in an unfolding conversation about who we are as Americans. Click here for tickets to Singing City's concert.

Why These Events Matter

Both Sing Democracy 250 and Democracy in Song remind us that democracy is not static; it is a living, breathing project that requires our participation. In a time when division often feels louder than unity, these choral gatherings lift up another possibility: that music can bridge divides, tell forgotten stories, and rekindle our shared hope.

For Philadelphia, a city that once heard the first readings of the Declaration of Independence, it is fitting that choirs now gather here to sing anew of liberty, justice, and community.

Attend and Add Your Voice

• Sing Democracy 250 Signature Concert & World Premiere: October 12, 2025, Marian Anderson Hall, Kimmel Center. Together In Hope Choir with Philadelphia Youth Choral Ensembles, led by G. Phillip Shoultz, III. [Tickets available here.]

• Singing City’s Democracy in Song: American Voices: Sunday, October 26, 2025, 3:00 p.m., Friends Center.

Join us this October as Philadelphia once again becomes the stage for democracy’s story—told not through speeches or documents, but through the power of song.