Carnegie Hall Presents MIGRATIONS: THE MAKING OF AMERICA Festival

From March 9-April 15, 2019, Carnegie Hall presents Migrations: The Making of America, a citywide festival that traces the journeys of people from different origins and backgrounds who helped to shape and influence the evolution of American culture. The five-week festival with more than 100 events will celebrate the many contributions-cultural, social, economic, and political-of the people who helped to build America's culture with musical programming at Carnegie Hall and public programming, performances, exhibitions, and events at more than 70 leading cultural and academic institutions across New York City and beyond.

At Carnegie Hall, festival concerts will examine the musical LEGACIES of three migrations: the crossings from Scotland and Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries, the immigration of Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe between 1881 and the National Origins Act of 1924, and the Great Migration-the exodus of African Americans from the South to the industrialized cities of the Northeast, Midwest, and West from 1917 into the 1970s. Migrations concerts by leading artists at Carnegie Hall includes performances of bluegrass, old-time, klezmer, Yiddish musical theater, the Great American Songbook, blues, jazz, and more.

Events at festival partner organizations, ranging from music and dance to exhibitions, talks, and films, will further amplify the themes celebrated by Carnegie Hall as well as explore many other migrations from around the world-from elsewhere in Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia as well as the internal migration of Native Americans-all of which have contributed to American culture today. Programming throughout the festival also focuses on New York City's history and identity as a city welcoming to immigrants, highlighting traditions and cross-cultural collaborations of the city's many diverse communities.

"With Carnegie Hall's largest festival yet, we invite audiences to look more closely at how the migrations of people to and within this country and the evolution of art forms that they have developed here have been powerful influences on the creation and development of American culture," said Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. "As we have planned this festival, it has been wonderful to see the passionate responses from partner organizations and how this theme has resonated with so many of them, resulting in a truly citywide celebration. We hope Migrations will be opportunity to take a fresh look at how America has been enriched by the diversity of cultures, traditions, and people that make up this great nation."