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Lift Every Voice with Donald Lawrence

As is tradition for more than 30 years, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) and the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus teamed up for a celebratory concert honoring Black History Month, titled Lift Every Voice. This year’s concert, held at Stifel Theatre, featured gospel artist Donald Lawrence and his vocal team. Performing in front of a packed house, the concert began with the ceremonial singing of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

This year, IN UNISON Chorus Director Kevin McBeth—who also conducted the concert—chose to honor Black women through the performance’s selections. Rosephanye Dunn Powell, one of the foremost choral composers and conductors, composed multiple pieces on the program. And Margaret Allison Bonds, one of the first Black women to gain recognition for her compositions, was represented on the program with Montgomery Variations, a musical depictions of the Montgomery bus boycott.

Lawrence then joined for several numbers from his recording profile, including “Matthew 28,” “The Best Is Yet To Come,” and “The Blessing of Abraham.”

Photos by Jon Gitchoff

Donald Lawrence performs with the IN UNISON Chorus.
IN UNISON Chorus sopranos sing “City Called Heaven.”
Kevin McBeth, the longtime leader of the IN UNISON Chorus, conducted the concert.
Lawrence was joined by back-up vocalists.
The IN UNISON Young Artists, a group of young vocalists in the chorus, were featured as a group in one selection.
The large crowd provided an enthusiastic response to the concert.
The IN UNISON Chorus is now in its 30th season.

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