Psalmody in Color is part of The Abyssinian Baptist Church’s annual Black Music Month Celebration which is dedicated to exploring and uplifting the psalm settings of Black composers past and present. Through concerts, lectures, and workshops, the festival highlights the rich sacred music traditions that have shaped Black worship and cultural life across generations.
The Abyssinian Baptist Church and the Calvin O. Butts III Educational and Cultural Center in Harlem will serve as the convening place for the weekend, grounding the festival in the church’s historic legacy of faith, justice, and music. Together, these spaces provide a setting where sacred artistry, education, and community can intersect to honor the legacy of Black sacred music and inspire future generations.
This event is co-sponsored with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship as part of the year of Dwelling in the Psalms.
This event is free. A free-will offering will be received.
Schedule of Events
9 a.m.–5 p.m.: A Day of Christian Education (registration link coming from The Abyssinian Baptist Church)
Workshops to learn about the psalter and its history and to introduce the Black Psalmody Database, the only resource of its kind in the world. Participants will engage in theological, musical, and educational conversations on the psalms. This event is free, but registration is required.
7:30 p.m.: “I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes”: A Psalm-Based Concert (also available as a livestream)
This concert of psalm settings by Black composers, presented in collaboration with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, will feature the Abyssinian Cathedral Choir, the South Carolina State University Concert Choir, tenor Dr. Johnnie Felder, and works by Hailstork, Carter, Smallwood, and others.
