Nu Deco at the Bandshell ft. Ledisi
Program
Thriller Suite // Hyken/Lebos/Lopez/Matthews
Barber School for Scandal // Samuel Barber
Concerto for Nu Deco // Kevin Day
Chaka Khan Suite // Hyken/Lebos/Lopez/Matthews
Intermission (20 minutes)
Special collaboration featuring Ledisi
Ledisi
Ledisi, a Grammy-winning vocalist, has wowed fans with her unparalleled vocals for over twenty years. Ledisi is also a songwriter, author, actress, music producer, film producer, publisher, educator, and record company executive.
Growing up, Ledisi was heavily influenced by many soulful music icons, but especially Dr. Nina Simone. Ledisi, in 2021, released her dream project on her label entitled, “Ledisi Sings Nina” with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley and The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra conducted by Adonis Rose. This tour de force jazz project garnered Ledisi her 14th Grammy nomination and received rave reviews, prompting John Legend to say, “In terms of her range, dexterity, clarity, and versatility, she can do anything she wants. She’s one of the great singers in the world, period.”
In addition to a Grammy win and nominations, Ledisi has garnered three Soul Train Music Awards, 19 NAACP Image Award Nominations, an NAACP Theatre Award, and an NAACP nomination for Breakthrough Performance in a Film for her role as Mahalia Jackson in Remember Me. Ledisi also received two LA Alliance Ovation Award Nominations, one for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Born in New Orleans and raised in Oakland, CA, Ledisi has earned a place in the pantheon of the greatest singers of her generation. She has headlined nationally sold-out tours, and performed alongside Dave Matthews, Gary Clark Jr, Vince Gill, Keb Mo, and Maxwell as well as jazz greats Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, and Patti Austin.
No stranger to the film and television world, Ledisi landed her first feature, singing in the George Clooney-directed film Leatherheads. In 2015 she portrayed the great Mahalia Jackson in the Oscar-nominated movie, Selma. In her first major television role, Ledisi played Patti LaBelle on the BET hit series American Soul followed by a standout performance on the FX hit series, “POSE”. She can also be seen in Twice Bitten with her co-star Lisa Raye on BET Plus. In 2022 Ledisi landed a starring role, portraying the great Mahalia Jackson in Remember Me, a biopic about the late singer’s life. In that same year, Ledisi was an executive producer, writer, and star of All Saints Christmas seen on the Hallmark Chanel. In 2023 Ledisi portrayed Gladys Knight in the biopic Spinning Gold a film about Casablanca Records’ chief, Neil Bogart.
In 2000 Ledisi made her Broadway debut as a “Radio and Washing Machine” understudy in Caroline or Change directed by George C. Wolfe. She returned to theater in 2019 as The Ancestor, in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway musical, Witness Uganda by Griffith Matthews and Matt Gould, the role for which she received the LA Alliance Nomination. That same year she co-wrote/co-produced her one-woman show, The Legend of Little Girl Blue. The show premiered at the Wallis Theatre in Beverly Hills to 19 sold-out shows. Ledisi returned to a Broadway stage in 2022 as “Sonja” a feature in the revised version of the musical The Life, directed by Billy Porter, at the New York City Center.
Ledisi is extremely passionate about being an advocate for the Arts, lobbying for young musicians, and protecting the rights of creatives. She is currently a Professor at Berklee College of Music, and an Artist in Residency for Berklee’s Jazz and Gender Justice Program. She is also the second black woman to be President of the Recording Academy’s Los Angeles Chapter. She continues to focus her efforts on increasing and giving voice to diversity in everything she does. In 2021, Ledisi had the esteemed honor of becoming an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She, along with her line sisters, Michelle J. Howard, Abby Phillip, Joy-Ann Reid, Ambassador Shabazz, and Collette V. Smith, are known as “The Justice League.”
As an author, she released her first book Better Than Alright: Finding Peace, Love and Power. Her latest book, Don’t Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey was released by her publishing company.
When you speak of women in entertainment Ledisi has brazenly put herself squarely at the head of the conversation. Ledisi is excited about launching more projects in the future for herself and others. “I am finally realizing my limitless potential as a creative and also now as a businesswoman.”
Kevin Day
Kevin Day (b. 1996) is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary composer, jazz pianist and conductor. Internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading musical voices, Dr. Day’s work is known as a vibrant exploration of diverse musical traditions from contemporary classical, jazz, R&B, Soul and more. A unique voice in the world of classical music, Dr. Day takes inspiration from a broad range of sources, including romanticism, late 20th century music, jazz fusion and gospel. Across all areas, his work explores the complex interplay of rhythm, texture and melody across genres.
Dr. Day burst onto the musical scene in 2018 with his Concerto for Euphonium, which has since gone on to become a Classic FM sensation and has been recently performed by the United States Marine Band. Since then, some of the world’s top instrumental soloists, wind bands, chamber ensembles and symphony orchestras have commissioned and performed his works, including the Cincinnati Opera, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Winds, Nu Deco Ensemble, Boston Brass, Capitol Quartet, Puerto Rican Trombone Ensemble, Syrinx Quintet, Sheffield Chamber Players and many others throughout the United States, Canada, Austria, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia and Japan. Dr. Day is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Copland House Residency Award, the MacDowell Fellowship for Music Composition, the BMI Composer Award, the TCU Alumni Outstanding Young Professional Award, a three-time ASCAP Morton Gould Finalist, a finalist for the ABA Sousa-Ostwald Award, a finalist for the NBA Revelli Award, and many more.
Dr. Day’s original opera, Lalovavi: An Afrofuturist Opera in Three Acts, will premiere at the Cincinnati Opera as the lead work in its ground-breaking new Black Opera Project. The work is the first of three commissioned by the Cincinnati Opera as part of its initiative to engage Black creators in developing new works celebrating Black stories. As part of the project, Dr. Day is collaborating with renowned director Kimille Howard and librettist Tifara Brown, who’s recognized as one of the country’s leading performance poets. Other recent works include his acclaimed Concerto for Wind Ensemble and Birds in the Cathedral, as well as Ignition, commissioned by the Boston Symphony Low Brass and Unquiet Waters, commissioned by Jordan VanHemert.
In addition to his work as a composer, Dr. Day also enjoys an active career as a jazz pianist. Passionate about collaborations that reimagine and advance the future of jazz as an art form, he brings his extensive musical background to the stage and studio as improviser and collaborator. He’s currently working on a debut solo album. His music has been featured on numerous high profile releases, including albums by Thomas Mesa and Michelle Cann, The Alias Chamber Ensemble, Jeremy Wilson, Jarrett McCourt, and Nicki Roman.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Dr. Day currently resides in San Diego, CA. He holds degrees from Texas Christian University (TCU), the University of Georgia, and the University of Miami. He has studied composition with Dorothy Hindman, Charles Norman Mason, Peter Van Zandt Lane, Emily Koh, Gabriela Lena Frank, and Neil Anderson-Himmelspach. Dr. Day currently works as Lecturer of Music Theory and Musicianship at the UC San Diego Department of Music.
Nu Deco Ensemble
Join Nu Deco Ensemble at the Miami Beach Bandshell for an unforgettable evening of soulful music featuring Grammy Award-winning R&B and jazz sensation, Ledisi. With a stellar career spanning nearly 25 years, Ledisi’s powerful and dynamic artistry continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Embrace the Halloween spirit as we present ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Beat It’ from our Thriller Suite—a reimagining of Michael Jackson’s legendary album. The evening’s program will also include a vibrant new Chaka Khan Suite, Kevin Day’s newly commissioned Concerto for Nu Deco, and Samuel Barber’s exhilarating Overture to The School for Scandal. Don’t miss this exciting celebration of music and artistry!
Since its inception in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble has exploded onto Miami’s eclectic musical scene captivating audiences, holistically engaging with its community, and fusing innovative, genre-bending orchestral performances and collaborations with the highest levels of musical artistry. Called a “chamber orchestra for the 21st century” by The New York Times, their performances have featured artists including Wyclef Jean, Allen Stone, Macy Gray, Monsieur Periné, Jacob Collier, and Ben Folds; reimagined orchestral suites of the music of Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, The Beatles, and Aretha Franklin; symphonic masterworks from Bernstein, Stravinsky and Gershwin; and new music from some of today’s most exciting living composers.
Thank you to our supporters who helped make this performance possible!
Nu Deco Ensemble Personnel
Conductor
Jacomo Bairos
Flute
Emilio Rutilant
Oboe/English Horn
Kendra Hawley
Clarinet
Mark Dover
Bass Clarinet
Andy Hudson
Bassoon
Aric MacDavid
Horn
Chris Komer
Trumpet
Omar Lateef
Trombone
Gabriel Colby
Percussion
Robert Chapman
Issac Fernandez
Shane Roderick
Drums/Hand Drums
Armando Lopez
Geneva Harrison
Electric Bass
Andrés Feret
Guitar
Aaron Lebos
Piano
Dan Strange
Violin 1
Eleanor Dunbar
Michelle Skinner
Ari Urban
Violin 2
Dina Kostic
Abby Young
Kristin Baird
Viola
Yael Kleinman Hyken
Taylor Shea
Cello
Aaron Merritt
Benjamin Whitman
Double Bass
Matt Peralta
Production Team
FOH Engineer
Charlton Williams
Monitor Engineer
Abe Oleksnianski
Stage Tech
Theo Braun
A2
Spencer Coulcy
Lighting & Video Designer
Peter Agudelo
Production Assistant
Andres Hernadez
Photographer
Alex Markow
Camera Operators/Sugarshack Media
Arian Antonucci
Dave Alpert
Eddie Kopp
Justin Kaczmarek
Spencer Paterson
Nu Deco Organization
C.E.O | Co-Artistic Director
Sam Hyken
Conductor | Co-Artistic Director
Jacomo Bairos
VP, Programming & Production
Kristina Villaverde
Director of Audio
Charlton Williams
NXT Director
Michelle Skinner
Development Manager
Charlotte Foreman
Personnel Manager
Abby Young
Booking Manager
Andrew Leib
Artistic Programs Coordinator
Elizabeth Guerra
Nu Deco Board of Directors
Carlton Ford, Chair
Rebekah Monson, Vice Chair
James Wolcott, Treasurer
Adam Schwartzbaum, Secretary
Jacomo Bairos
Daniel Baltzegar
Samuel Baum
Michael D. Berman
Kevin Kwan Loucks
Sam Hyken
Nancy Levitt Davis
Carolina Menendez
Gianira Obregon
Ana Mari Ortega
Jerra Spence
Alexander Tecle
Thank you to our supporters!
Foundation & Government Supporters
Al & Jane Nahmad Family Foundation
Arison Arts Foundation
Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
Bank of America Foundation
The Cowles Charitable Trust
The Kirk Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation
Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
The City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council
The Ortega Family Fund at The Miami Foundation
Peacock Foundation
The Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation
YoungArts Foundation
This concert was made possible with the support of the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners
Nu Deco’s programs on Miami Beach are supported by the City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council.
Corporate Sponsors
Nespresso
Segafredo
Individual Supporters
Dr. Benjamin Abo
Brian Adler
Jacomo Rafael Bairos
Daniel & Katherine Baltzegar
Gerry Barad
Samuel Baum
Lisa Beal
Elaine BerkoMichael & Melinda Berman
Kathy & Bob Bernstein
Lisa & Bob Better
Emily Borababy & Adam Einhorn
Jill Braufman & Daniel Nir
Carolina & Christian Crews
Jeffrey Davis & Michael T. Miller
Joan De Pontet
Cristina Dominguez & Michael Grunwald
Patti Elias & Corey Hoffman
Chris Evans
Carol & Robin Faber
Nelly Farra
Anonymous in honor of Rebecca Fishman Lipsey
Matthew Ferrara
Betty & Joe Fleming
Cheriene Floyd
Carlton Ford
Courtney Ford
Denise & Phillip Foreman
Joe & Rachel Furst
Richard French & Jacqueline Greenberg
Seth & Liebe Gadinsky
Marina Ganopolsky
Susan L. Gordon
Dr. Rafael Gosalbez
Mark Gottfried & Karen Milles
Carly Grimm
Patricia Guinn & Jared Lilienstein
Nick Hamann
The Ronald Schrager & Wendy Hart Charitable Foundation
Erica Hartman-Horvitz & Richard Horvitz
Jackie Hassine
Russ Herman & Barbara Schuman
Maggie Hernandez
Mark Henderson & Bruce Wolfe
Rita Holloway
Bonnie Hyken
N. Abraham Issa
Lawrence & Jackie Kamin in honor of Carlton Ford
Ana & Neisen Kasdin
Kristen Khoury
Madeleine Kreitman
Brad Lake
Jacqueline Lalonde
Daniel & Valerie Landis
Ivonete Leite
Daniel Lewis & Valerie Dillonwitz
Nancy Levitt Davis
Alan & Diane Lieberman
George Lindemann
Dr. Willie & Lyra Logan
Radmila Lolly
Mach 1 Properties
Jane Schoninger Marcus
Carter & Laura McDowell
Janet Melk
Carolina & Manuel Menendez
Daniel & Amanda Meneses
Leslie Miller Saiontz
Rebekah Monson
Helen Mopsick
Danielle Moriber
Stephen Nechtow
Natalie Norfus
Tracie Paul
Jeff & Marci Pearl
Meredith Porte
Laura & James Quinlan
Luis Ramirez & Kimberly Thompson
James & Catherine Redding
Team Ressler
Mark & Jennifer Rockwood
Victoria Rogers
Vivian & Gaby Roiz-Vilchez
Johanna Rousseaux
Michael & Jennifer Samway
Mary & Saul Sanders
Jaleh & Jeff Samway-Bast
David & Sydney Schaecter
Adam Schwartzbaum
Nicole Seymour
Marc & Noa Shinderman
Michael & Nicole Simkins
Deborah Slott & Ken Rivkin
Daniel Spear
Austin Stewart
Alexander Tecle
Mary Thieme
Randi & Warren R. Trazenfeld
Alexandra Villoch & Cesar Mendoza
Teresa Galang-Viñas & Joaquin Viñas
Dale & Diane Wallace
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
Laura & Kenneth Wernick
Seth Weinberger & Barbara Goodman
H. Jordan Weitz & Robin Weitz
Jason Wiesenfeld & Tamara Galinsky
Jessie Wolfson
Randi Wolfson & Chris Adamo
Brandon & Kara Yarckin
David & Linda Young
Michael Zwerner
Margalit Edelman
Monica Melamid