The Gateways Music Festival, in partnership with the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, is gearing up for a landmark 2025–2026 season, bringing world-class Black classical musicians and composers to stages across the country. The season kicked off with a Fall Festival in Rochester, New York, from Oct. 13–16, and culminates with a triumphant return to the Festival’s birthplace in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in spring 2026.
A centerpiece of the Fall Festival is a performance by Grammy-winning jazz trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard and his band, The E-Collective. Under the baton of conductor Damon Gupton, the Gateways Festival Orchestra will present Film Scores Live!, featuring Blanchard’s iconic soundtracks from Malcolm X, BlacKkKlansman, and Inside Man. This collaboration with the inaugural Soundtrax Film Festival highlights the Festival’s commitment to celebrating Black composers and their cultural contributions.
Festival attendees will also experience a solo recital by acclaimed Eastman alum David Berry ’04E, as well as a rare performance of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Nonet in F Minor by the Gateways Chamber Players. This ensemble brings together top-tier Black classical musicians, including bassoonist Monica Ellis of the Grammy-winning Imani Winds, cellist Patrice Jackson of Berklee College of Music, hornist Kevin Newton of Imani Winds, and oboist Titus Underwood of the Nashville Symphony, among others. Smaller chamber configurations will offer intimate glimpses into the artistry of performers such as violist Jordan Bak, clarinetist Olivia Hamilton, violinist Kyle Lombard, and rising pianist Joshua Mhoon of Juilliard.
Educational programming remains central to Gateways’ mission, with the Young Musicians Institute: Rochester Day for Strings providing free, immersive workshops where young string players rehearse and perform alongside professional teaching artists. These initiatives ensure the Festival cultivates the next generation of Black classical musicians while fostering broader appreciation for their artistry.
Beyond Rochester, the Festival will participate as collaborative artists at the 2026 ASTA/SAA National Conference in San Francisco, with featured performances and educational engagements, as well as performances and masterclasses by the Gateways Brass Collective in cities including Grand Rapids, Orlando, Winston-Salem, Atlanta, and Fort Wayne.
“Music at Gateways is felt as much as it is heard,” said Festival President and Artistic Director Alex Laing. “We’re not just presenting concerts — we’re creating space for joy, recognition, and cultural memory. Witnessing Black musicians performing at the highest level, particularly works by Black composers, is transformative.”
Through concerts, education, and national appearances, the 2025–2026 season underscores Gateways Music Festival’s ongoing mission to center Black artistry in classical music, creating a powerful, inclusive, and inspiring platform for both performers and audiences alike.
For more information, including tickets and program details, visit Gateways Music Festival