The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will be hosting a special chamber music concert celebrating female African American composers Jessie Montgomery and Florence Price on Sunday, January 18. “Let Freedom Ring” at 3:00 p.m. at South Church in Portsmouth, NH.

The program celebrates the artistry and resilience of African American women who helped shape the sound of American classical music. Their music stands proudly alongside the great works of the European tradition, offering new colors, rhythms, and stories that enrich our shared musical heritage. The concert will be performed by the Portsmouth Brass Ensemble and the Expansion Quartet—both featuring members of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra—and conducted by Maestro John Page. Joining the Brass Ensemble will be Portsmouth Music and Arts Center Teaching Artist and Seacoast pianist Mike Effenberger.

The concert will open with Strum by Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981), a work bursting with energy, warmth, and rhythmic vitality. Written for string quartet, Strum draws on American folk traditions and the spirit of community that runs through Montgomery’s music, setting a joyful tone for the evening.

The program then turns to the trailblazing Florence Price (1887-1953), the first African American woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra. Her music, lush and full of heart, weaves together classical traditions with the sounds of spirituals and folk melodies. Price’s Octet for Brasses and Piano (1930) highlights her expressive, distinctive voice, while the tender Adoration (1951) offers a moment of quiet grace.

The program concludes with Price’s String Quartet No. 2, a deeply expressive work that captures both her technical brilliance and her emotional depth–music that continues to resonate nearly a century after it was written.

“Florence Price wrote in a 1943 letter to Boston Symphony conductor Serge Koussevitzky that her work should be judged on merit alone and not on the basis of race or sex. It’s an important reminder of the strength, talent, and conviction it took for her music–and the music of so many others–to be heard,” said John Page, PSO Music Director. “ ‘Let Freedom Ring’ honors that legacy with performances that celebrate both the struggle and the joy that continue to shape American music today.”

The concert is free and open to the public. Those who can are encouraged to make a donation of up to $40. Tickets can be reserved in advance by visiting www.portsmouthsymphony.org.

Subsequent chamber concerts include “Adoration” with the PSO Principal Winds on Sunday, February 1; “Hidden Gems: New and Old” with the Portsmouth Brass Quintet on Sunday, April 19 at 3pm; and “Essex Piano Trio + One” on Sunday, June 7. All three performances will take place at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church in Exeter, NH.

In addition, the PSO’s 2025-2026 Main Stage season continues at The Music Hall in Portsmouth with “American Voices” on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and “Tragic Pathos” on Sunday, May 31, 2026, both at 3:00 p.m.

Founded in 1997, the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra is comprised of over 65 local professionals, educators, dedicated amateurs and advanced students.

For more information about the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra or a full calendar of events, please visit www.portsmouthsymphony.org.