Announcing Guest Artists for 2024 Brady Block Party Series
CSO’s Second Annual Pride Concert to Feature Celebrated Drag Queen and Vocalist Monét X Change and the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus
Guest Artists to Include Cincinnatians Vee Gibson, Ciara Harper, Noah Hawes, Mary Patton and Rita Winters
13-Year-Old Cellist and SCPA Student Sonya Moomaw to Join the CSO for Four Brady Block Party Performances
CINCINNATI, OH (May 23, 2024)— The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) has announced the guest artists for its 2024 Brady Block Parties line up. The Brady Block Parties, anchored by CSO concerts and named in honor of Andrew J. Brady, longtime Cincinnati orchestra and band director at Western Hills High School, will take place outdoors at five locations across Greater Cincinnati, June 6 through August 1. Each Brady Block Party is free and open to the public and will include art activations by Robert O’Neal Multicultural Arts Center (ROMAC), games and activities for all ages in collaboration with Cincinnati Circus, and food from area food vendors and culminate with an outdoor concert by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
The 2024 Brady Block Parties series will begin on June 6 at the ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park with the CSO’s second annual Pride concert. Guest artists will include the Cincinnati Men’s Chorus and renowned drag queen and classically trained opera vocalist Monét X Change, who appeared as a contestant on the Emmy Award-winning show RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 and RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Seasons 4 and 7.
On June 23 at the West End’s Ezzard Charles Park, conductor John Morris Russell and the CSO will be joined by an all-Cincinnatian group of guest artists, including the QKidz Dancers, rapper Noah Hawes, vocalists Vee Gibson, Ciara Harper and Rita Winters and 13-year-old cellist Sonya Moomaw.
Sonya Moomaw will also be joining the CSO for the final four Brady Block Parties of the season. Sonya is a rising freshman at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati who has won several competitions, including the Music Teachers National Association Junior Strings Competition in 2023 and the Cleveland Cello Society Scholarship Competition’s Junior Division in 2022. In January of 2024, she was featured on NPR’s “From the Top” with host Peter Dugan and placed third at the 27th Annual National Sphinx Competition in the Junior Division. She is currently a member of the SCPA Chamber Orchestra, the SCPA Jazz Ensemble, the Seven Hills Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Cincinnati local, Mary Patton, will join the CSO on July 19 and August 1 to perform the blockbuster hits “Home” from The Wiz and “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess.
A full listing of activities, vendors, and complete event details can be found at cincinnatisymphony.org/BlockParties.
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
2024 Brady Block Parties
Each Brady Block Party is free and open to the public and will include art activations by Robert O’Neal Multicultural Arts Center (ROMAC), games and activities for all ages in collaboration with Cincinnati Circus, and food from area food vendors and culminate with an outdoor concert by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Thursday, June 6, 2024, 6 p.m. (concert at 7:30 p.m.)
Location: The ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park, located adjacent to The Andrew J. Brady Music Center®
PRIDE BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Wiley, conductor
Monét X Change, vocalist
Cincinnati Men’s Chorus, Spencer Zembrodt, Artistic Director
Community Partner: Cincinnati Men’s Chorus
Sunday, June 23, 2024, 6 p.m. (concert at 7:30 p.m.)
Location: Ezzard Charles Park (formerly Laurel Park)
WEST END BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
John Morris Russell, conductor
Noah Hawes, narrator/rapper
Ciara Harper, vocalist
Vee Gibson, vocalist
Rita Winters, vocalist
Sonya Moomaw, cello
QKidz Dancers
Community Partner: Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
Sunday, July 14, 2024, 6 p.m. (concert at 7:30 p.m.)
Location: Dunham Recreation Center
PRICE HILL BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Carlos Ágreda, conductor
Sonya Moomaw, cello
Community Partner: Price Hill Will and Cincinnati Recreation Commission
Friday, July 19, 2024, 6 p.m. (concert at 7:30 p.m.)
Location: North Avondale Recreation Center Fields
AVONDALE BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Kellen Gray, conductor
Sonya Moomaw, cello
Mary Patton, vocalist
Community Partner: North Avondale Community Council and Cincinnati Recreation Commission
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 6 p.m. (concert at 7:30 p.m.)
Location: Woodlawn Community Center
WOODLAWN/LINCOLN HEIGHTS BRADY BLOCK PARTY
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Michelle Merrill, conductor
Sonya Moomaw, cello
Mary Patton vocalist
Community Partner: Village of Woodlawn and Village of Lincoln Heights
All programs, artists, dates and locations are subject to change.