Morgan State University Choir Returns to South Africa to Celebrate Africa Day

May 2026 – The renowned Morgan State University Choir returns to South Africa in May 2026 for its second concert tour, following its memorable debut at the 2009 Ihlombe! South African Choral Festival. This highly anticipated visit features a series of collaborative performances with leading South African ensembles, celebrating cultural exchange and shared musical heritage. Highlights include an Africa Day concert with the University of Pretoria Choir, followed by performances with the University of Johannesburg Choir, Quava Vocal Group in Soweto, the Tygerberg City Choir in Cape Town, and a final concert with Amici Di Lumine and the UCT Choir. Through these powerful partnerships, the Morgan State University Choir continues its legacy of excellence while building meaningful connections through music across continents.

Concert Details:

20 May 2026, 19:30: Concert 1, “Africa Day” celebration concert

With: University of Pretoria Choir

Venue: Normaal Saal, UP Groenkloof Campus, Pretoria

Tickets: Available on tixsa

23 May 2026, 17:00: Concert 2

With: University of Johannesburg Choir

Venue: Dormus Dei Church, Randburg

Tickets: R 100.00 p/p, available on Quicket

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/369164-morgan-state-university-choir-usa/?ref=events-list#/

24 May 2026, 15:00: Concert 3

With: Quava Vocal Group

Venue: Holy Cross Anglican Church, Orlando West

Entry: FREE with reservation on Quicket

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/367565-morgan-state-university-with-quava-vocal-group-holy-cross-anglican-church#/

27 May 2026, 19:00: Concert 4

With: Tygerberg City Choir

Venue: St. George’s Cathedral, Cape Town

Tickets: R 200.00 p/p, available on Quicket

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/373319-morgan-state-university-choir-at-st-georges-cathedral/

28 May 2026, 19:00: Concert 5

With: Amici Di Lumine & UCT Choir

Venue: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Cape Town

Entry: FREE with reservation on Quicket

https://www.quicket.co.za/events/373321-morgan-state-university-choir-at-st-andrews-presbyterian/

Tour Repertoire:

Lift Every Voice and Sing: arr. Roland Carter
Come Unto Me: James Lee, III
Five Spirituals: Sung by Wings over Jordan
In Bright Mansions: Roland Carter
I Have a Dream: Charles Dickerson
Four Spirituals: Adolphus Hailstork
Great Day
In Dat Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’
Cert’ny Lord
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
Excerpts from “The Ordering of Moses”: R. Nathaniel Dett
Water Night: Eric Whitacre
There Will be Rest: Frank Tichelli
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Bawo Thiko Somandla: Traditional South African Folk Song
I’m Go’nna Wait on the Lord: Damon Dandridge
Get on Boa’d: Damon Dandridge
I Know I’ve Been Changed: Damon Dandridge
I’ll Stand: Raymond Wise
“Glory” from SELMA: John Legend and Common
Stand Up from Harriet: Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Campbell
The Best is Yet to Come: Donald Lawrence
Calvary : Richard Smallwood
Trust Me: Richard Smallwood
I Will Sing Praises: Richard Smallwood
Total Praise: Richard Smallwood
With My Whole Heart: Nolan Williams
Oh Happy Day: Edwin Hawkins

About Morgan State University Choir

The Morgan State University (MSU) Choir is one of the nation’s most prestigious university choral ensembles. While classical, gospel, and contemporary popular music comprise the choir’s critically acclaimed repertoire, they are renowned for their emphasis on preserving spiritual heritage in their performances.

The choir has performed with major symphony orchestras, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, and the National Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Eric Conway is the current Director of the Morgan State University Choir. Since 2004, he has led the choir through many notable performances, including a special performance at the service honoring Rosa Parks, the first woman to lie in honor at our nation’s Capital Rotunda. In 2015, at the request of First Lady Michelle Obama, the choir sang at the White House for a nationally televised concert in the East Room alongside Aretha Franklin, Shirley Caesar, and Tamela Mann. During the summer of 2018, the choir traveled to Slovakia, Germany, and Austria, where they sang in Vienna’s famed St. Mark’s Cathedral. In the fall of the same year, the choir performed Leonard Bernstein’s Mass with the Peabody Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestra Marin Alsop.

The MSU choir was recently featured on BET Network Television for a live performance at the HBCU Honors Awards and televised internationally for singing the National Anthem at NFL sporting events. In November 2025, the Choir performed to much acclaim in a collaboration with Peabody Opera Theater to produce Kurt Weill’s opera Street Scene, based on a Pulitzer prize-winning book with libretto by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes.

The choir has performed all over the world including in Thailand, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong, Greece, West Africa, Russia, South Africa, Canada, Colombia, China, Brazil, Argentina, Jamaica, Italy, Australia, Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, England, Scotland, Wales, Peru, Ecuador, the Middle East, and the Galapagos Islands. 2026 marks MSU’s return to South Africa. Having shared their musical gifts on grand stages across the globe–with numerous dignitaries and celebrated performers– the Morgan State University Choir acts as a cultural ambassador for the City of Baltimore, the state of Maryland and the United States. For further information, see www.msuchoir.org

About Dr. Eric Conway, Director

MSU Conductor and Musical Director, Dr Eric Conway

For nearly 20 years, Dr. Eric Conway has served as the Director of the Morgan State University Choir as well as chair of the university’s Fine and Performing Arts Department. Prior to serving as Choir Director, Dr. Conway was their principal accompanist for over 20 years. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts from Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Conservatory where he majored in Piano Performance and minored in Conducting. While at Peabody, Conway was a recipient of the prestigious Liberace Scholarship, as well as a winner in the Yale Gordon Concerto Competition.

Some of his significant accomplishments as pianist include a tour of Eastern Africa, sponsored by the United States Information Agency. One of the highlights of the tour was a solo performance for Madagascan television and radio. Dr. Conway is sought after as a collaborative artist and has worked closely with some of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. In September 2015, he was asked personally, by Aretha Franklin, to conduct a choir to accompany her in her performance for Pope Francis during his visit to the United States.

In addition to his musical accomplishments, he holds degrees in both Accounting and Business Management and was a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG for many years. Dr. Conway is married to Bessie Elizabeth Conway, and they are blessed to have three sons: Eric, Jr., Christopher, and Ryan.

About Classical Movements

Classical Movements is the premier concert tour company for the world’s great orchestras and choirs, creating meaningful cultural experiences through orchestra and choir tours in 147 countries. An industry leader since 1992, we understand both the travel and the performance needs of professional symphony orchestras and choruses, as well as conservatory, university and youth ensembles, and we produce the Prague Summer Nights: Young Artists Music Festival. Through our Eric Daniel Helms New Music Program, we’ve commissioned over 104 works from Grammy, Oscar, Pulitzer and MacArthur-winning composers. Since our founding in 1992, as a truly global enterprise, Classical Movements remains committed to facilitating cultural diplomacy across the world.

CLASSICAL MOVEMENTS TOUR OPERATIONS MANAGER

Heather Stengle

Sr Director of Operations, Classical Movements

Office: +1 (703) 683-6040 x1011

Mobile/Text/WhatsApp: +1 (513) 325-3529

Heather@classicalmovements.com