Rhapsody in Blue

Experience a groundbreaking fusion of jazz and classical music as the Marcus Roberts Trio joins the New World Symphony for an evening of transformative works at the Knight Concert Hall.

The New World Symphony presents Rhapsody in Blue on Saturday, January 10 at the Adrienne Arsht Center's Knight Concert Hall, featuring a fresh interpretation of George Gershwin's iconic work. The Marcus Roberts Trio, led by acclaimed jazz pianist Marcus Roberts, transforms this classic through "skillful improvisation," maintaining Gershwin's original structure while injecting it with new harmonies and rhythmic vitality. This innovative approach exemplifies Roberts' talent for bridging classical and jazz traditions while honoring both.

Conductor Andrew Grams, known for his "unique combination of intensity, enthusiasm and technical clarity," leads the NWS Fellows and guest musicians through a program that also includes Tchaikovsky/Ellington's Suite from The Nutcracker. This arrangement blends Tchaikovsky's beloved melodies with Ellingtonian swing, returning the classical pieces to orchestral settings while incorporating jazz elements.

The program continues with Darius Milhaud's La création du monde, Op. 81a, a pioneering work from 1923 that fuses classical composition with jazz influences that Milhaud discovered during his visits to Harlem. The concert concludes with Duke Ellington's powerful Black, Brown and Beige, a landmark composition that "tells the history of African Americans" through three movements representing different historical periods. First performed at Carnegie Hall in 1943, this work represents Ellington's attempt to elevate jazz to the same status as European classical music while addressing racial inequality.

This concert, part of the New World Symphony's 2025-2026 Season, offers audiences an opportunity to experience the dynamic intersection of classical and jazz traditions through works that broke new ground in American musical composition.

Individual tickets go on sale July 25.