America/Beautiful 250

When pianist Min Kwon first conceived America/Beautiful, the country was in a moment of fracture – pandemic isolation, racial reckoning, and political unrest. Looking at her two daughters, whose birthdays fall on Presidents’ Day and the Fourth of July, she began asking a simple, urgent question: What does America mean, and what kind of nation are we becoming?

From that reflection came an extraordinary undertaking: America/Beautiful. Kwon commissioned more than eighty leading composers across the United States to each write a variation on America the Beautiful, producing a vast mosaic of voices, aesthetics, identities, and histories. No two variations are alike. Some are tender and lyrical, others bracing and dissonant; some meditate, others protest. Together they form a living portrait of a country in conversation with itself.

Now, as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, Kwon returns to the Catacombs with music from this monumental project – timed to the release of her complete recording of all 76 variations. What began as a question has become a document of its time: a sonic archive of how America's leading creative voices, in all their diversity, heard this moment in history.

Are you a member? Email [email protected] to get the member discount code for this program.

Before Purchasing Tickets, Please Note:

• Attendees must follow all instructions and guidance from Cemetery staff and ambassadors.
• Where To Go: Check-in begins 15 minutes before your ticketed start time and ONLY takes place at the Gothic Arch near the Main Entrance on Fifth Avenue and 25th Street (500 25th Street). There are no paper or e-tickets! Attendees will be checked in by name.
• Food and Drinks: We will start with a 45-minute reception at the Modern Chapel to enjoy a tasting of cocktails by Via Carota and snacks (all free!), and the beauty of the Cemetery, before the program begins. Tasting is for those 21 years of age or older with proof of ID.
• Early Evening Performance (6pm): Arrive for check-in at the Gothic Arch no later than 6:45pm.
• Twilight Performance (7:30pm): Arrive for check-in at the Gothic Arch no later than 8:15pm.
• Accessibility & Safety: Please note that the Catacombs are a historic structure and not ADA-compliant. Access requires ascending and descending stairs. We strongly encourage attendees to dress for the conditions of the Catacombs, which can be cooler than the outdoor temperature.
• A Little More About Accessibility & Safety: Attendees may travel to the Catacombs on foot or by trolley. The walk takes about 20-30 minutes, and includes hilly and uneven terrain. Proper footwear and flashlights are strongly recommended. The Green-Wood trolley is ADA-compliant, but the Catacombs are not. If you have any questions or concerns regarding disability-related accommodations for this program, please call (718) 768-7300 or email [email protected].
• Ticket sales are final. No exchanges or refunds unless the event is canceled.

Photo Credit: Death of Classical

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Host or Publisher The Green-Wood Historic Fund