Release – Announced – Ledisi With the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
MILWAUKEE, WI (2/4/2026) — Grammy Award–winning vocalist Ledisi will make Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra debut on Saturday, May 16, at 7:30 pm, at the Bradley Symphony Center. Joined by the full orchestra, Ledisi will perform selections from her 2025 album For Dinah, a musical homage to legendary jazz singer Dinah Washington.
The program features jazz-soul reinterpretations of Washington classics including “What a Difference a Day Made,” “Caravan,” and “Let’s Do It,” showcasing Ledisi’s remarkable artistry alongside the rich sound of the MSO.
Pre-sale tickets are available now. Tickets for the general public go on sale Friday, February 6, at 10:00 am and are available at mso.org or by calling the MSO Box Office at 414-291-7605.
ABOUT LEDISI
Ledisi, a Grammy-winning vocalist, has wowed fans with her unparalleled vocals for over twenty years. Ledisi is also a songwriter, author, actress, music producer, film producer, publisher, educator, and record company executive.
The first African American woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm once said, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Not one to covet spaces she’s not welcomed in; Ledisi has built a table of her own. She established Fig Street Films, Chinweya (chin-way-yah) Publishing, and Listen Back Entertainment/BMG.
Growing up, Ledisi was heavily influenced by many soulful music icons, especially Dr. Nina Simone. In 2021, she released her dream project, Ledisi Sings Nina, with the Metropole Orkest conducted by Jules Buckley and The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra conducted by Adonis Rose. The project garnered Ledisi her 14th Grammy nomination and received rave reviews, prompting John Legend to say, “In terms of her range, dexterity, clarity, and versatility, she can do anything she wants. She’s one of the great singers in the world, period.”
In addition to a Grammy win and nominations, Ledisi has garnered three Soul Train Music Awards, 19 NAACP Image Award nominations, an NAACP Theatre Award, and two LA Alliance Ovation Award nominations. Born in New Orleans and raised in Oakland, CA, Ledisi has earned a place among the greatest singers of her generation. She has headlined nationally sold-out tours and performed alongside Dave Matthews, Gary Clark Jr., Keb Mo, Maxwell, Herbie Hancock, Robert Glasper, and Patti Austin.
No stranger to film and television, Ledisi appeared in the George Clooney-directed film Leatherheads and portrayed Mahalia Jackson in the Oscar-nominated movie Selma. She later played Patti LaBelle on the BET hit series American Soul, appeared on FX’s Pose, starred as Mahalia Jackson in Remember Me, executive produced and co-wrote All Saints Christmas for the Hallmark Channel, and portrayed Gladys Knight in the biopic Spinning Gold.
Ledisi made her Broadway debut in Caroline or Change directed by George C. Wolfe and returned to theater in the off-Broadway musical Witness Uganda. She co-wrote and co-produced her one-woman show, The Legend of Little Girl Blue, which premiered at the Wallis Theatre in Beverly Hills to sold-out audiences, and returned to the New York City Center stage in the revised version of The Life, directed by Billy Porter.
Ledisi is passionate about advocating for the arts, supporting young musicians, and protecting the rights of creatives. She is currently a Professor at Berklee College of Music, an Artist in Residence for Berklee’s Jazz and Gender Justice Program, and the second Black woman to serve as President of the Recording Academy’s Los Angeles Chapter. In 2021, she became an Honorary Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
As an author, she released Better Than Alright: Finding Peace, Love and Power. Her latest book, Don’t Ever Lose Your Walk: How to Embrace Your Journey, was released by her publishing company.
When you speak of women in entertainment, Ledisi has put herself squarely at the head of the conversation. Ledisi is excited about launching more projects in the future for herself and others. “I am finally realizing my limitless potential as a creative and also now as a businesswoman.”
ABOUT THE MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Led by Music Director Ken-David Masur, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is Wisconsin’s largest cultural institution and one of the nation’s leading orchestras. Since its founding in 1959, the MSO has performed more than 130 concerts annually, including classics, pops, family, education, and community programs throughout the state. The orchestra has premiered works by composers such as John Adams, Philip Glass, J.E. Hern?ndez, Roberto Sierra, Marc Neikrug, Matthias Pintscher, and Dobrinka Tabakova, earning national recognition for artistic innovation. The MSO was also the first American orchestra to offer live recordings on iTunes.
In 2021, the MSO completed the restoration of a historic downtown movie palace, opening the Bradley Symphony Center. The venue has become a vibrant hub for music and community engagement, sparking renewal along West Wisconsin Avenue and serving as a catalyst for cultural activity in Milwaukee.
The MSO’s commitment to education and outreach reaches tens of thousands of students annually. Its nationally recognized Arts in Community Education (ACE) program, now in its 36th year, integrates music across subjects and provides vital opportunities in schools where arts programming may be limited. ACE offers lesson plans, classroom visits by MSO ensembles, and concerts tailored to each grade level. Along with Youth and Teen concerts, Family Series, and Meet the Music pre-concert talks, these programs provide students and families with meaningful, transformative experiences in music.
Through its artistic excellence, innovative programming, and community engagement, the MSO continues to inspire new audiences, nurture the next generation of musicians, and strengthen Milwaukee’s reputation as a vibrant center for music and the arts.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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