Symphony Space Announces Free Eight-Hour Performance Marathon, 'Wall to Wall Women of Soul'

Symphony Space has announcceddetails for Wall to Wall Women of Soul, the 2023 event in the institution's signature series of marathon performances revisiting towering artistic legacies.

Curated by Monique Martin, Wall to Wall Women of Soul features a wide range of the City's artists interpreting not just the undisputed icons of 1960s and '70s, but also the genre's more distant past and its recent and current innovators. The event takes place Saturday, April 1, from 3-11pm, in the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space (2537 Broadway, at 95th Street). Admission for both in-person and live-stream tickets are free.

Monique Martin explained, "The contributions of women to soul music are often overlooked or reduced to a few artists and hits. The truth is that women continue to expand the genre's canon, using their voices to disrupt, heal, inspire, protest, and transmit joy, by creating music that speaks to the moment. Audiences will experience music they know and love to sing and dance to, as well as fresh interpretations and new music to discover, at Wall to Wall Women of Soul."

Artists confirmed to participate in Wall to Wall Women of Soul include the singer, songwriter, producer, and Labelle member Nona Hendryx, with an all-women orchestra; Harlem's GLR¥A AND THE RAKIEM WALKER PROJECT; Grammy-winning singer-songwriter J. Hoard; Native and African-American vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator Martha Redbone; The Soapbox Presents, which artist Marija Abney created during lockdown to bring free live music to Black and brown communities; gospel/jazz/soul vocalist Marcelle Davies Lashley; "ghettotrance" singer Anthony Mills, accompanied by pianist and DJ ELEW; author, producer, and creative executive Thembisa Mshaka; and singer Xavier Smith, who performs the beloved annual tribute show Ladies of Soul. Members of ​Ladies of Hip-Hop, which provides opportunities for girls and women in hip-hop culture, will perform-and lead the audience in-Black social dance to the live music unfolding throughout the day. Additional artists, including DJs who will spin between live performances, will be announced as the event approaches.

Kathy Landau, Executive Director of Symphony Space, said, "45 years ago, with the very first free Wall to Wall, Symphony Space was born. Ever since then, community and access have been the through lines in all we do, and there has been a special alchemy that happens here at Symphony Space when artists and audiences come together. Wall to Wall Women of Soul will be brought to life by an extraordinary array of singers, musicians, dancers, and thinkers celebrating the contributions of women across generations and genres. What a joy it is to throw open our doors and welcome folks from all over all over to share in the very best of community, artistry, history, and hope."