To Be Free: The Revolutionary Music of Nina Simone
A One Night Only Concert Experience at USC’s Bovard Auditorium

-Part of the USC Thornton School of Music Series Nina Simone: Beyond Category
-Co-curated by Jason King, Lara Downes, and Jayson Jackson
-In Collaboration with the Recording Academy Black Music Collective

ADMISSION
Admission is free.

RSVP

DESCRIPTION:
Performed by USC Thornton School of Music students, faculty, alumni, and special guests, this one-night-only concert celebrates Nina Simone’s classical training and its profound influence on her expansive, genre-defying musical vision. From her early grounding in composers such as Bach and Czerny to her fearless fusion of blues, jazz, gospel, and classical traditions, Simone forged a singular musical voice that transcended genre to speak truth to power. Her artistry unfolded through original compositions and transformative re-imaginings of others’ work, revealing a creative genius committed to freedom—personal, artistic, and collective.

At a moment when questions of artistic freedom and the role of culture in public life feel more urgent than ever, Nina Simone’s work resonates with renewed force. She confronted structural barriers throughout her career with uncompromising clarity, addressing civil and human rights struggles head-on and offering searing reflections on the complexities of Black life. Her insistence on artistic autonomy continues to challenge and inspire artists of all kinds navigating today’s turbulent landscape.

Co-curated and hosted by acclaimed pianist and curator LARA DOWNES, Oscar-nominated co-producer of What Happened, Miss Simone? JAYSON JACKSON, and USC Thornton School of Music DEAN JASON KING, this concert offers a powerful reimagining of Simone’s catalog—an artistic offering in the spirit of her liberation, transformation, and life lived “beyond category.” Simone simultaneously stands as an important artistic muse for Lara Downes’ national initiative, The Declaration Project, an invitation across the nation for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to reflect on core concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence draws near on July 4, 2026.

Featured performers include:

ALICE SMITH, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter
DERRICK LAWRENCE, acclaimed baritone and USC Thornton faculty
GABBY SAMONE, vocalist
GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW, composer and producer
JIMETTA ROSE, singer and composer
LARA DOWNES, pianist and curator
MYKAL KILGORE, Grammy-nominated vocalist and Broadway actor
NIKKA COSTA, singer and songwriter
RON McCURDY, performer and USC Thornton Associate Dean
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and composer
V.C.R, performer, composer, and USC Thornton alum
…and more

Members of the USC Thornton Symphony
Conducted by Carl St.Clair
Musical direction by Todd Simon

* programmatic elements subject to change *

Related Event: 
Friday, January 23, 2026: How Nina Simone Changed the World INFO

Presented by USC Visions and Voices and the USC Thornton School of Music in collaboration with the Recording Academy Black Music Collective.