Juneteenth Concert: "Lift Every Voice and Sing"

The St. Augustine Music Festival (SAMF) presents their fifth Juneteenth concert at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 19, 2025 at Cathedral Basilica in historic downtown.

Jacksonville's Ritz Chamber Players and soprano Ann Marie McPhail perform together in this concert to honor Juneteenth, the federal holiday celebrating the emancipation of Black people from slavery in the United States. 

From Atlanta, Ann Marie McPhail has performed on stage in several operas and can be seen singing opera in the background of a scene in Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls. Her opera debut was as the Countess in The Marriage of Figaro for the Houston Ebony Opera. She has toured with the Atlanta Opera, playing Strawberry Woman in Porgy and Bess, and has been a guest soloist for the Atlanta Ballet, the National Association of Negro Musicians 100th Convention, and several other events, including the St. Augustine Music Festival several years ago.

From Jacksonville, The Ritz Chamber Players is a dynamic chamber music ensemble that brings a fresh and vibrant new style to chamber music. The ensemble has performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony. Each year, they present a subscription series in Jacksonville. 

Admission: Free

When: Thursday, June 19, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Cathedral Basilica, 38 Cathedral Place, St. Augustine, Florida 32084

This is the traditional opening evening for the annual St. Augustine Music Festival. To see the rest of the performances, go here.