Adrienne Arsht Center & Nu Deco Ensemble presents
Nu Deco Ensemble
Featuring PJ Morton & Friends
Jacomo Bairos | Sam Hyken
Co-Founders & Artistic Directors
Program
The Shape of Wonder // Hyken/Lebos/Lopez/Matthews
House of Pianos // Courtney Bryan
Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life Reimagined // Hyken/Lebos/Lopez/Matthews
Intermission
Collaboration with PJ Morton & Friends
Who's Who?
Nu Deco Ensemble
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.
Courtney Bryan
Courtney Bryan is a composer and pianist threading together elements of jazz, classical, and sacred music in pieces that foreground the lived experiences of African Americans. In works for solo piano, chorus, chamber music ensembles, and orchestra, Bryan bridges gaps between often disparate musical worlds. She layers styles from African American traditions, such as gospel, soul, and spirituals, onto postmodern classical concert works, and there is a subtle improvisational impulse to her compositions. Many of Bryan’s compositions reverberate with pressing social and political issues of our time.
PJ Morton
PJ Morton is a soul singer, songwriter, performer and producer based in New Orleans. He is a 5x GRAMMY-winner and 20x GRAMMY nominee who has also earned numerous nominations for BET, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards, in addition to selling out countless shows at historic venues like the Apollo Theater and others around the world. On top of running his own record label, Morton Records, and serving as Maroon 5’s full-time keyboardist, his career also includes collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Jon Batiste, Nas, Lil Wayne, JoJo, Yebba, Jill Scott and many more, as well as creating original music for the new Disney World and Disneyland attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. In 2024, he released Cape Town to Cairo – an album entirely written, recorded and produced during a 30-day trip across Africa – and also published his debut memoir, Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, detailing the inspiring and trailblazing journey that led to his signature sound.
Susan Carol
Each generation has that one voice that will always be synonymous with its sound…Grammy Award Winner, Susan Carol possesses that voice. This Ft. Worth, TX native is the epitome of her gospel roots. Being raised in church, the root of everything she writes and sings is from a place of pure love. At an early age, her poetic gift emerged and became the therapy that soothed her soul amidst life’s adversities and its blessings. That gift gave birth to the purity of her pen – a pen that now soothes our souls through her authentic lyrics, a tranquilizing tone and a voice that lays splendidly atop of poetic mastery.
Keyon Harrold
Keyon Harrold is a Grammy-nominated trumpeter, vocalist, and composer whose genre-defying sound fuses jazz, hip-hop, soul, and cinematic storytelling. With credits ranging from Jay-Z and Nas to YEBBA and Robert Glasper, his work spans stage, studio, and screen. A Concord Jazz recording artist and artistic advisor for Jazz St. Louis, Harrold uses music as both expression and activism, reshaping the role of the modern musician
Darrel Walls
Darrel Walls is a dynamic force in the music industry and is recognized for his unparalleled talent as a vocalist, songwriter, and vocal producer. His musical gift has placed him alongside some of the most iconic artists across genres, including Brandy, PJ Morton, Kirk Franklin, Jonathan McReynolds, Jason Nelson, JJ Hairston, Kim Burrell, Travis Greene, Frank Ocean, Stokely, Tasha Cobbs-Leonard, and The Walls Group. Darrel has not only performed with these industry giants but has also contributed as a songwriter and vocal producer on numerous award-winning projects.
His exceptional artistry has earned him 4 Grammy nominations and 6 Stellar Awards, cementing his status as a sought-after collaborator. Whether shaping a song from behind the scenes or delivering soul-stirring performances on stage, Darrel’s creative brilliance and commitment to excellence resonate throughout his work.
Thank you to our supporters who helped make this performance possible!
Nu Deco Ensemble Personnel
Conductor
Jacomo Bairos
Flute
Daniel Velasco
Oboe/ English Horn
Kendra Hawley
Clarinet
Mark Dover
Bass Clarinet
Andy Hudson
Bassoon
Aric MacDavid
Horn
Ryan Little
Trumpet
Omar Lateef
Cisco Dimas
Trombone
Gabriel Colby
Hakeem Bilal
Tuba
Piper Green
Percussion/Timpani
Juanmanuel Lopez
Robert Chapman
Cory Fica
Drums/Hand Drums
Armando Lopez
Murph Aucamp
Electric Bass
Andres Ferret
Guitar
Aaron Lebos
Piano
Dan Strange
Keyboards
Jason Matthews
Sam Hyken
Violin 1
Matt Albert
Michelle Skinner
Kiku Enomoto
Katrina Rozmus
Violin 2
Dina Kostic
Karen Lord-Powell
Abby Young
Siobhan Cronin
Viola
Yael Hyken
Taylor Shea
Michael Klotz
Bill Neri
Cello
Aaron Merritt
Mia Barcia-Colombo
Reenat Pinchas
Axel Vallejos
Double Bass
Amy Nickler
Pablo Camacho
Harp
Laura Sherman
Production Team
FOH Engineer
Theo Braun
Broadcast/Recording Engineer
Chip Williams
Monitor Engineer
Abraham Oleksnianski
A2
Brian Arnaud
Techs
Spencer Coulcy
Nick Altadonna
Production Manager
Andres Hernandez
Stage Manager
Adriana Fernandez
Lighting Designer
Roodney Murat
Photographer
Alex Markow
Camera Team
SugarShack Media
Arian Antonucci
Eddie Kopp
Justin Kaczmarek
Spender Paterson
Dave Albert
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
Personnel Manager
Abby Young
Writing and Production Associate
Simón Martinez
Nu Deco Board of Directors
^ Denotes Executive Committee
Carlton Ford, Chair ^
Ana Mari Ortego, Vice Chair ^
Daniel Baltzegar, Treasurer ^
Carolina Menendez, Secretary ^
Sam Hyken, CEO & Co-Artistic Director ^
Jacomo Bairos, Conductor & Co-Artistic Director ^
Michael Berman ^
Adam Shwartzbaum ^
Nancy Levitt Davis
Jason Goldstrich
Kevin Kwan Louks
Rebekah Monson
Jerra Spence
Alexander Tecle
Thank you to our supporters!
Foundation & Government Supporters
Arison Arts Foundation
Bank of America Foundation
The Cowles Charitable Trust
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs
The City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council
The Jorge M. Perez Family Foundation at The Miami Foundation
Cornelia T Bailey 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
Corporate Sponsors
Nespresso
Ultimate Ears
Seacoast Bank
Individual Supporters
Dr. Benjamin Abo
Brian Adler
Jacomo Rafael Bairos
Bernard Banfi
Daniel & Katherine Baltzegar
Gerry Barad
Jeffrey Bast
Samuel Baum
Lisa & Joe Beal
Ilan Belehssen
Michael & Melinda Berman
Kathy & Bob Bernstein
Lisa & Bob Better
Beth Bloom & Lyle Stern
Emily Borababy & Adam Einhorn
Eric Broad
Jill Braufman & Daniel Nir
Carolina & Christian Crews
Juan Pablo Cappello
Jeffrey Davis & Michael T. Miller
Alison Davis
Amber Davis
Nancy Davis
Joan De Pontet
Cristina Dominguez & Michael Grunwald
Patti Elias & Corey Hoffman
Tracy Ellis
Margalit Edelman
Carol & Robin Faber
Matthew Ferara
Matthew Ferrara
Nelly Farra
Betty & Joe Fleming
Cheriene Floyd
Carlton Ford
Courtney Ford
Denise & Phillip Foreman
Dave Forrest
Richard French & Jacqueline Greenberg
Elizabeth Gadinsky
Joe & Rachel Furst
Seth & Liebe Gadinsky
Teresa Galang-Viñas & Joaquin Viñas
Marina Ganopolsky
Olga Goldovskaya
Susan R. Goldstein
Brayann Gonzales
Susan L. Gordon
Dr. Rafael Gosalbez
Mark Gottfried & Karen Milles
Jimmy Graham
Jackie Greenberg
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
Sofia Iglesias
Lawrence & Jackie Kamin in honor of Carlton Ford
Ana & Neisen Kasdin
Gary L. Wasserman & Charles A. Kashner
Kristen Khoury
Madeleine Kreitman
Linda Krouner
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
Jane Schoninger Marcus
Carter & Laura McDowell
Janet Melk
Monica Melamid
Carolina & Manuel Menendez
Daniel & Amanda Meneses
Giancarlo Messina
Leslie Miller Saiontz
Helen Mopsick
Rebekah Monson
Danielle Moriber
Stephen Nechtow
Natalie Norfus
Luis Ordonez
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
James Rosenberg
Johanna Rousseaux
Michael & Jennifer Samway
Jaleh & Jeff Samway-Bast
Mary & Saul Sanders
David & Sydney Schaecter
Adam Schwartzbaum
Nicole Seymour
Philip Sellinger
Marc & Noa Shinderman
Michael & Nicole Simkins
Kamal Sleiman
Deborah Slott & Ken Rivkin
Daniel Spear
Austin Stewart
Christina Stallstrom
Lyle Stern
Alexander Tecle
Nicole Tafur
Mary Thieme
Courtland Tompkins
Randi & Warren R. Trazenfeld
Warren & Randi Trazenfeld
Alexandra Villoch & Cesar Mendoza
Joaquin Vinas
Dale & Diane Wallace
Catherine Silva Walker
Laura & Kenneth Wernick
Seth Weinberger & Barbara Goodman
H. Jordan Weitz & Robin Weitz
Jason Wiesenfeld & Tamara Galinsky
Jessie Wolfson
Betty Wohl
Randi Wolfson & Chris Adamo
Brandon & Kara Yarckin
David & Linda Young
Michael Zwerner
Anonymous in honor of Rebecca Fishman Lipsey