Juneteenth Celebration

PERFORMERS

Willie Teacher, speaker
Yahaya Kamate, drumming
Don Eaton (Babadon), drumming
David Mills, poet
George Heath, UMSV chorus
Alanna Ysabel, gospel singer
Roya Marsh, spoken word
Steven Kirby, spiritual singer

YAHAYA KAMATE is a native of the Ivory Coast. As a former member of the National Ballet of the Ivory Coast, he first came to the United States to honor his country by touring with the ballet in 1994. In 1997, he established himself in the Sunshine State. Kamate performed at Busch Gardens, the Animal Kingdom, and Epcot Center for two years before coming back to New York and the tri-state area where he teaches in both public and private schools. He practices African Dance, Drumming, Modern Dance, and Ballet. Currently, he is an instructor at Alvin Ailey, a performer and dance teacher at Friends Academy, and a Teaching Artist with Bronx Arts Ensemble.

ALANNA YSABEL is an artist, model, and proud alumna of Berklee College of Music. While in Boston, Alanna was the lead vocalist of a top corporate band and shared the stage with Pharrell, Bebe Rexha, Lady Gaga, Aminé, Justin Timberlake, and Missy Elliott, among others. Her artistry has brought her to stages and projects with the NAACP, Harvard University, Republic Records, the VMAs, the Apollo, Google, Tommy Hilfiger, BET Networks, CurlFest, Black Girls Rock, and Salesforce. Most recently, she worked with South African artist, Tyla, for Coke Studios.

Alanna Ysabel currently performs throughout New York City and is gearing up for the debut of her highly anticipated EP—a project that reflects her journey, faith, vision, and voice.

Bronx, New York native, ROYA MARSH is a poet, performer, educator and activist. She is the author of dayliGht (2020), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Lesbian Poetry and SAVINGS TIME (2025). Roya works feverishly toward Queer liberation and dismantling white supremacy. She is the co-founder of the Bronx Poet Laureate, and leads creative writing workshops with NYC DOE, PEN America Emerging Voices, Lambda Literary’s LGBTQ Writers in Schools and Poets & Writers. Roya is the awardee of the Lotos Foundation Prize for Poetry and 2024 Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Award from Bronx Council on the Arts.

Roya and her work have been featured widely including, The Academy of American Poets, The Poetry Foundation, Poetry Magazine, GLAAD, Electric Literature, the Village Voice, Nylon Magazine, Huffington Post, The Root, Button Poetry, BAM, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, The Apollo Theater, Joe’s Pub, Lexus Verses and Flow, On One with Angela Rye, BET and The BreakBeat Poets Vol 2: Black Girl Magic(Haymarket 2018).

Illustrious Baritone STEVEN KIRBY, praised for his “solid presence” and “mellifluous tone” (OperaWire, TheaterScene.net), brings an enthusiasm for opera, oratorio, and musical theater like none other. A Springfield, MA native now based in Harlem, NY, Mr. Kirby has captivated audiences across the United States and Europe with his compelling performances.

His operatic repertoire includes standout roles such as Captain Dick Scott in the world premiere of Nicolas Flagello’s Beyond the Horizon (Teatro Grattacielo); Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly (Houston Ebony Opera); Jack in H. Leslie Adams’ Blake, George Floyd in The Martinsville 7 (Trilogy Opera); Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Camerata NY Orchestra); Colas in Bastien und Bastienne, Talpa in Il Tabarro (Garden State Opera); Porgy in Porgy and Bess (Utah Festival Opera); Kaspar in Der Freischütz (New Jersey Concert Opera); and Dr. Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro (Brevard Music Center). He has also sung Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Zuniga in Carmen. In musical theater, Mr. Kirby’s portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime the musical (Columbia University) received critical acclaim. His additional credits include Pirates of Penzance (Samuel), Kiss Me, Kate, Candide, West Side Story, Show Boat, and The Most Happy Fella.

Equally at home in the oratorio and concert repertoire, Mr. Kirby has been praised as “thrillingly incandescent” and “brilliant beyond belief” in performances of Orff’s Carmina Burana (Ars Choralis), Bach’s Magnificat (The UNSUNG Collective), Handel’s Messiah (Orchestra of St. Luke’s), Beethoven’s Mass in C (Clemson University), Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore (Ars Choralis), and A Canon for Racial Reconciliation a new work by Isaac Cates and Nicolas Reeves with Portland, Oregon’s Capella Romana. He has earned accolades for his mastery with Harlem Chamber Players and Ars Choralis. This July 19th and 20th Mr. Kirby will perform with Teatro Grattacielo in Mascsgni’s L’AMICO FRITZ as Hanzeo. https://grattacielo.org/season/lamico-fritz

Mr. Kirby continues to expand his artistic horizons, striving to bring new interpretations to the timeless works of the classical canon. With a career spanning multiple genres and a dedication to artistic excellence, Mr. Kirby continues to move and inspire audiences with his powerful voice and commanding stage presence.

Dedicated to sharing his knowledge and skills, Mr. Kirby teaches at Frank Sinatra High School of Performing Arts, where he enjoys teaching voice, conducting The Songbook Singers Choir, and being the artistic director of the Opera Workshop, designing productions, selecting repertoire and conducting performances with orchestra. He’s also lent his expertise to the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, serves as an assistant conductor for the New York City All City High School Chorus, conducting on prestigious stages such as David Geffen Hall. Mr. Kirby maintains a private voice studio in New York City. He earned his Bachelor and Masters degrees from Westminster Choir College solidifying his reputation as a leader in the field of music education and voice performance.

BABA DON “Babatunde” is a distinguished artist, musician , author and educator, celebrated for his drumming talent and children’s book, “Benga and the Tree.” As the CEO and founder of Percussion Arts Projects LLC, Baba Don combines his passion for rhythm and pedagogy to reach diverse audiences. A master percussionist with nearly 25 years of experience, he has graced the stages of prestigious venues alongside major American dance companies and renowned artists. His recording career spans jazz, rhythm and blues, and African-derived percussion.

Baba Don is a featured member of The Last Poets, exemplifying his deep roots in cultural and musical expression. For over 25 years, he has taught drumming and rhythms of the African Diaspora at the Harlem School of the Arts, impacting students of all ages. His collaborations include performances with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Netflix’s Julie Andrew “Green Room” Episode 10 and “Sesame Street” Segment called “Drumming School” featuring all of his students at The Harlem School Of The Arts. Along working with recording Artist such as ’ Aretha Franklin ,Donald Brown Jason Linder, Pharoah Sanders, George Clinton, Mtume’s “New Jack City” and with Maurice Hines’s “Uptown Its Hots” on Broadway.

His operatic repertoire includes standout roles such as Captain Dick Scott in the world premiere of Nicolas Flagello’s Beyond the Horizon (Teatro Grattacielo); Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, Yamadori in Madama Butterfly (Houston Ebony Opera); Jack in H. Leslie Adams’ Blake, George Floyd in The Martinsville 7 (Trilogy Opera); Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Camerata NY Orchestra); Colas in Bastien und Bastienne, Talpa in Il Tabarro (Garden State Opera); Porgy in Porgy and Bess (Utah Festival Opera); Kaspar in Der Freischütz (New Jersey Concert Opera); and Dr. Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro (Brevard Music Center). He has also sung Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Zuniga in Carmen. In musical theater, Mr. Kirby’s portrayal of Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime the musical (Columbia University) received critical acclaim. His additional credits include Pirates of Penzance (Samuel), Kiss Me, Kate, Candide, West Side Story, Show Boat, and The Most Happy Fella.

Equally at home in the oratorio and concert repertoire, Mr. Kirby has been praised as “thrillingly incandescent” and “brilliant beyond belief” in performances of Orff’s Carmina Burana (Ars Choralis), Bach’s Magnificat (The UNSUNG Collective), Handel’s Messiah (Orchestra of St. Luke’s), Beethoven’s Mass in C (Clemson University), Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de confessore (Ars Choralis), and A Canon for Racial Reconciliation a new work by Isaac Cates and Nicolas Reeves with Portland, Oregon’s Capella Romana. He has earned accolades for his mastery with Harlem Chamber Players and Ars Choralis. This July 19th and 20th Mr. Kirby will perform with Teatro Grattacielo in Mascsgni’s L’AMICO FRITZ as Hanzeo. https://grattacielo.org/season/lamico-fritz

Mr. Kirby continues to expand his artistic horizons, striving to bring new interpretations to the timeless works of the classical canon. With a career spanning multiple genres and a dedication to artistic excellence, Mr. Kirby continues to move and inspire audiences with his powerful voice and commanding stage presence.

Dedicated to sharing his knowledge and skills, Mr. Kirby teaches at Frank Sinatra High School of Performing Arts, where he enjoys teaching voice, conducting The Songbook Singers Choir, and being the artistic director of the Opera Workshop, designing productions, selecting repertoire and conducting performances with orchestra. He’s also lent his expertise to the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, serves as an assistant conductor for the New York City All City High School Chorus, conducting on prestigious stages such as David Geffen Hall. Mr. Kirby maintains a private voice studio in New York City. He earned his Bachelor and Masters degrees from Westminster Choir College solidifying his reputation as a leader in the field of music education and voice performance.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSORS 

Special thank you to our venue partners at the Van Cortlandt House Museum and the National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of New York.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.