WS Chronicle

Winston-Salem’s own Nia Imani Franklin – vocalist, composer, conductor, advocate, and Miss America 2019 – joins members of the Winston-Salem Symphony for an unforgettable night of music on Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the McChesney Scott Dunn Auditorium at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA). SECCA is located at 750 Marguerite Drive in Winston-Salem.

Franklin has curated a program of her own works ranging from classical to pop to gospel, including favorites from her 2021 self-titled E.P. She is a classically trained opera singer who earned a master’s degree in composition from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2017. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Friction Quartet, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and many others have performed her music. Franklin also became the Composer in Residence at Festival Napa Valley in 2021, where she premiered several works and was awarded the Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Classical Music.

 “I am over-the-top thrilled to partner with the Winston-Salem Symphony,” said Franklin. “It is an absolute blessing and honor. Being a composer and now joining with the very symphony of the city I grew up in and dreamed of working with is incredible! 

“As Miss America, I’ve traveled and sung nationally and internationally. Last summer, I did a show on the penthouse floor of the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco. Yet, performing in my very own hometown brings me great pleasure. This is a wonderful way to begin the new year!”

Franklin is an advocate for the arts and the founder of Compose Her, an initiative seeking to employ women in music. As a Black female composer, she understands the need to embrace gender and racial diversity in the world of music. She aims to encourage more young women to explore musical composition through workshops, panel discussions, and partnerships. 

General admission tickets begin at $25. A limited number of special VIP tickets are available, which include a post-performance reception with Franklin. Tickets are available by calling the Symphony Box Office at 336-464-0145 or online at wssymphony.org. The Hampton Inn and Suites Downtown has overnight accommodations available with a package that includes two tickets and a king room for $219 or an upgraded king suite for $239. Contact the Hampton Inn for a hotel/ticket package at 336-276-1010.

This concert is brought to you by Symphony Unbound/Etherbound presenting sponsors Chris and Mike Morykwas.