The National Association of Negro Musicians will hold their 2024 National Convention at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, 711 S. Hope Street, in downtown Los Angeles.
The convention begins Sunday, July 14, and continues through Thursday, July 18. The theme is “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The NANM Western Region Branches will host the gathering, which is expected to attract hundreds of people. The branches are the Edna Hammett Porter Music Association where Bettye Randall and Rose Kimball serve as co-presidents; and Georgia Laster Association of Musicians where Yolanda Mitchell West is president.
Also co-hosting are the Taylor Benjamin Smith Performing Arts Society, Ethel Williams and Ashay Mathieu, co-presidents; and George Robert Garner III Branch, Timothy Davis, Jr., president.
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Kicking off the convention on July 14, at 3 p.m., will be the season finale concert by the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles at Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Avenue in downtown L.A. Award-winning recording artist Kenny Lattimore will be the special guest. The event is open to the public. For ticket information, call (213) 788-4260.
On Monday, July 15, at 9 a.m., the plenary session will feature Michael Abels, 2023 PulitzerPrize-winning composer known for his opera, “Omar.” The Emmy and Grammy-nominated artist also wrote scores for the films “Get Out,” “Us,” and “Nope.”
The Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles, directed by Byron J. Smith, will perform at 7:30 p.m. The event, sponsored by the Living Heritage Foundation, will also include the Richard “88 Fingers” Turner Jr. Band. The tickets are $30.
Heading the agenda for Tuesday, July 16, at 8 a.m., is Marcos K. Merrick, founding director of the Community Choir of Baltimore and former coordinator for performing arts at Morgan State University. Her served under Dr. Nathan Carter, producer at WBZ-TV in Boston and WJZ-TV in Baltimore.
At 12 noon, the Life Member Luncheon takes place honoring Byron J. Smith, NANM President Emeritus, who served from 2014 to 2019.
The mission and purpose of The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (NANM) is to promote, preserve, and support all genres of music created and/or performed by African Americans. NANM, the oldest organization of its kind, chartered May 3, 1919, is a 501(c)(3). www.nanm.org
To learn more or obtain tickets for all events, visit www.nanm.org/convention.
