William Warfield Scholarship Fund 2025 Benefit Concert: “Let Freedom Sing” featuring Holden Turner

Since its establishment in 1977, the William Warfield Scholarship Fund, Inc. (WWSF) has provided financial aid to more than 60 African American classical singers, including students from the Eastman School of Music and high school-aged performers. The WWSF Board of Directors proudly invites you to attend its 48th Annual Benefit Concert on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in Kilbourn Hall. This year’s event, themed “Let Freedom Sing,” will feature the 2024-2025 William Warfield Scholarship Fund recipient, current Eastman student Holden Turner ’25E, baritone, alongside a stellar lineup of acclaimed performers, including Kenneth Overton, Grammy Award-winning baritone; Thomas Warfield, WWSF President Emeritus, Artist and Pianist; Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church Men’s Chorus; and Deanna Dewberry, Award-winning anchor and investigative reporter for News10 NBC/WHEC-TV, as Concert Emcee.

This year’s concert will also feature the presentation of the 2025 William Warfield Legacy Award to Grammy Award-winning soprano Leona Mitchell for her leadership, achievements and distinguished contributions to the development of young African American artists aspiring to careers in classical vocal performance. As part of the celebration, Mitchell will participate in a special pre-concert chat with Julia Figueras, former Music Director and midday host for WXXI Classical.

“Let Freedom Sing” honors the intertwining legacies of freedom and song, particularly during the civil rights movement. “This concert is more than a celebration of music,” says WWSF President Lolita Forsett. “It is a profound reminder of how music has been a voice for justice, hope, and liberation throughout history. On this MLK weekend, we pay tribute to two extraordinary leaders, William Warfield and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose commitment to freedom and equity continues to inspire. Through their lives and legacies, we see how art and activism can unite us and propel us toward a brighter future.”

“The legacy of William Warfield is deeply inspiring to me as a young artist. It’s a privilege to honor his memory while standing on the foundation he helped build,” says Holden Turner, this year’s WWSF recipient. “To sing at this concert, especially under the theme of ‘Let Freedom Sing,’ is to celebrate the transformative power of music in advancing equality and justice.”

By choosing to attend this special benefit concert, you will also have access to a pre-concert chat with Leona Mitchell and a meet & greet reception immediately following the performance in Miller Center’s Sproull Atrium. Tickets are $45 in advance, $50 after December 31, 2024 (fees not included), and $10 for students with URID. They may be purchased online, in person at the Eastman Theatre Box Office (located at 433 East Main Street; hours: M-F 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) or by calling 585-274-3000.

Please consider supporting the WWSF by donating here: williamwarfield.org/contribute

For more information, visit the William Warfield Scholarship Fund.