The Cathedral Choral Society, Heritage Signature Chorale, and Pershing’s Own United States Army Blues will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s death on May 19.

The concert will feature Ellington’s “Sacred Concert” and will be held at the Washington National Cathedral. There will also be a livestream available at www.cathedralchoralsociety.org/events/duke-ellingtons-sacred-concert/.

Ellington considered his sacred concert “the most important thing I’ve ever done.”

In a statement, the CCS Music Director Steven Fox said “We’re so thrilled to be collaborating with Heritage Signature Chorale and the U.S. Army Blues on this program. This concert is a continuation of our multi-year collaboration with Heritage Signature Chorale, entitled I, Too, Sing America, in which we’re exploring the rich choral tradition of African American composers. And Duke Ellington is such an important part of our American culture, but also of the cultural background of Washington, D.C. We want this concert to be an open celebration for D.C. to come in and hear a rarely heard piece by one of our greatest musical figures.”