Now entering its 35th season, the Washington Bach Consort’s Noontime Cantata Series continues its mission of bringing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to the Washington, DC community.  PROGRAM 
 Organ Prelude  
 Prelude & Fugue in C minor, BWV 546  
 Cantata  
 Sehet! Wir gehen hinauf gen Jerusalem, BWV 159   Jeffrey Kempskie, organist 
Katelyn Grace […]

Now entering its 35th season, the Washington Bach Consort’s Noontime Cantata Series continues its mission of bringing the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to the Washington, DC community.  PROGRAM 
 Organ Prelude  
 Prelude & Fugue in C minor, BWV 546  
 Cantata  
 Sehet! Wir gehen hinauf gen Jerusalem, BWV 159   Jeffrey Kempskie, organist 
Katelyn Grace […]

Join SAAM’s head of conservation, Amber Kerr, for a conservation-focused tour through the museum’s popular exhibition, Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas. Kerr will discuss in-depth how Thomas achieved her unique visual effects in large-scale works, and the methods conservators use to gain insight into her working methods. Free| Registration encouraged In-person | Smithsonian American […]

"The sound: Modern blues that grabs hold of your soul and rocks it." – The Boston Herald  Led by the magnetic vocals of Jenny Langer, this powerhouse quartet unleashes a sonic storm where blues, soul, and rock collide. The D.C.-based band have received Wammie awards for Best Blues Band and Best Blues Album and have […]

Join Sharing Honors and Burdens: Renwick Invitational 2023 artist Ursala Hudson (Kadusné) in a virtual, behind-the-scenes tour of her studio, followed by a conversation on her materials and artistic process. A transdisciplinary artist of Caucasian, Filipina, and Tlingit descent, Hudson explores her interrelated worldview and philosophies through two-dimensional and fiber arts. Hudson is best known […]

Las Místicas de Mexico brings together music, poetry, art, and creative expression of over four centuries of mystical Mexican female artists. The iconic poet nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, songstresses María Grever, Toña la Negra, and Chavela Vargas, and images by the great Frida Kahlo are joined with contemporary voices of Mexican women […]

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a docent-led tour designed for participants who are blind or have low vision. Discover highlights from the collection through rich verbal descriptions that invoke a multisensory experience. Free | Registration required In-person | Smithsonian American Art Museum Meet in the F Street Lobby

Las Místicas de Mexico brings together music, poetry, art, and creative expression of over four centuries of mystical Mexican female artists. The iconic poet nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, songstresses María Grever, Toña la Negra, and Chavela Vargas, and images by the great Frida Kahlo are joined with contemporary voices of Mexican women […]

Immerse yourself in the music of Gabrieli, Bruckner, and Esmail as trumpets and voices resound in the vast expanse of the Cathedral Nave.  Experience the architecture of Washington National Cathedral like never before: with trumpets, drums, and voices echoing throughout the majestic arches. Composer Reena Esmail has composed new works especially for the space, to […]

J.S. Bach drew from the best of a variety of established European musical styles and combined them in his own unique voice. This concert will highlight influential composers of the French Baroque, featuring sacred grand motets of Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687) and Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643–1704). Charpentier’s magnificent Te Deum will head a list of exquisite works […]

“Intense…impressive…impossible to resist” - The New York Times 
The exceptional artistry of the Rotterdam Philharmonic comes to Washington, D.C., for the first time in more than two decades. Under the baton of Music Director Lahav Shani, the orchestra fosters a truly immersive experience for newcomers and music lovers alike. In this exclusive program, superstar pianist Daniil […]

Spark your imagination with SAAM during Art in the A.M. Children ages 0-5 and their caregivers are invited to join SAAM before hours to learn, connect, and create in the galleries. Together, attendees will explore the expressive colors and music behind the exhibition Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas, with close looking at artworks such […]

Curious about American art? Join us for a 30-minute in-person conversation about selected works from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s collection. This program is presented in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation for hearing participants. Free | Registration required In-person | Smithsonian American Art Museum Meet in the F Street Lobby

Las Místicas de Mexico brings together music, poetry, art, and creative expression of over four centuries of mystical Mexican female artists. The iconic poet nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, songstresses María Grever, Toña la Negra, and Chavela Vargas, and images by the great Frida Kahlo are joined with contemporary voices of Mexican women […]

Indian tabla legend Zakir Hussain returns to Washington Performing Arts for an exciting evening of Indian classical music also featuring Debopriya Chatterje, bansuri, and Sabir Khan, sarangi. The trio’s thrilling synergy and musical conversation captures the sounds, contemporary influences, and traditions of India in the immersive Sixth & I setting. Widely considered a chief architect […]

Join art historian Caitlin Meehye Beach for the Eldredge Prize lecture “Sculpted Bodies and the Matter of Racial Capitalism.” She is the 2023 recipient of the Eldredge Prize, which annually recognizes originality and thoroughness of research and excellence in writing, for her book Sculpture at the Ends of Slavery. Beach explores the intersections between the […]

Join SAAM’s research fellows for this lunchtime series of gallery talks as they share new discoveries about artworks on view. Learn the stories behind these objects and how each one tells us about an ever-changing culture in the United States. Chaeeun Lee, SAAM Asian American Art Predoctoral Fellow discusses Carlos Villa’s During.  Free | Meet […]

Canoro pianto et affetti explores the musical world of 17th-century women through songs for solo voice. This program is inspired by the 1613 collection Canoro pianto di Maria Vergine sopra la faccia di Christo estinto (“The singing cries of the Virgin Mary over the face of the deceased Christ”). The program features select monodies arranged […]

Celebrate the season of cherry blossoms with SAAM! Begin the day on the F Street Plaza (weather permitting) with a taiko drumming performance by drumming group Nen Daiko. The program continues inside in the Kogod Courtyard for Japanese pop, boogie, and more with Les The DJ. Enjoy other performances while children (12 and under) make […]

Canoro pianto et affetti explores the musical world of 17th-century women through songs for solo voice. This program is inspired by the 1613 collection Canoro pianto di Maria Vergine sopra la faccia di Christo estinto (“The singing cries of the Virgin Mary over the face of the deceased Christ”). The program features select monodies arranged […]

Kick off cherry blossom season with a workshop presented with Nicolas Shi, the official artist of the National Cherry Blossom Festival! A longtime resident of Washington, DC, Shi’s work is influenced by his upbringing in El Salvador, his Chinese heritage, and his formal education in the United States. In this two-hour workshop, he will discuss […]