A Time for Jubilee
An Oratorio
Words and Music by Nkeiru Okoye
After the darkness, we came together.
OVERVIEW
A Time for Jubilee is a 25‑minute oratorio that honors the path from struggle to celebration, tracing the Selma–Montgomery journey as a living arc of American memory and communal resolve. The score interweaves freedom‑song and spiritual lineages with gospel inflection and operatic lyricism, all within a contemporary orchestral frame. The result is a luminous sound‑gathering where private grief and public witness stand side by side—and rise together.
Commissioned and premiered during Nkeiru Okoye’s tenure as William Levi Dawson Composer‑in‑Residence with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, A Time for Jubilee received its world premiere at the historic Troy University Davis Theatre on February 9th, 2026, in a performance that formed part of the city’s anniversary observances was covered by regional television and public radio.
Montgomery Symphony Orchestra and combined university choirs performing the world premiere of A Time for Jubilee.
AT A GLANCE
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Duration: 25 minutes
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Scoring: Soprano, SATB Chorus, Orchestra
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Premiere: Monday, February 9, 2026 — Troy University Davis Theatre (Montgomery, AL)
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Conductor: Jamie Reeves
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Soloist: Laquita Mitchell
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Combined Choirs: Tuskegee University Choir • Alabama State University Choir • Huntingdon College Choir
LIVESTREAM
Laquita Mitchell, internationally acclaimed soprano, soloist, featured in the world premiere of A Time for Jubilee.
FEATURED EXCERPTS
“A truly special night of American music and a world premiere that left a lasting impression… Composer-in-residence Nkeiru Okoye delivered a powerful and joyful work, beautifully led by conductor Jamie Reeves.”
— Andrew Szymanski, Montgomery City Council Member
Student chorus members carrying protest‑style signs as they process through the auditorium aisles; orchestra and choir visible onstage.
IN THE MEDIA
NPR's Carolyn Hutcheson Interviews Nkeiru Okoye about A Time for Jubilee
SIMILAR WORKS
by Nkeiru Okoye
BOOKING & SCORES
Book Dr. Okoye to coach your musicians on performance practice, engage your audience or speak at your event: Email
Scores & Parts: rentals@presser.com
Publisher: Theodore Presser Company
Composer Nkeiru Okoye takes a bow with soprano Laquita Mitchell and conductor Jamie Reeves at the world premiere of A Time for Jubilee.