Join us on Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM at The Peale for an engaging, genre-blending conversation with Baltimore’s own Wordsmith. Join acclaimed Baltimore artist Wordsmith for an afternoon of performance and conversation exploring the powerful fusion of hip-hop, classical music, and American history.
The program opens with a live performance of “Welcome Home,” inviting audiences into a shared space where music and lived experience intersect. Through storytelling and musical demonstrations, Wordsmith examines how blending hip-hop’s direct, truth-telling voice with classical music’s depth and structure creates space for stories of justice, legacy, grief, healing, and hope.
The evening features excerpts from three original works: Made in America, a layered portrait of the American Dream; Network to Freedom, inspired by the Underground Railroad and early American railoads; and Freedom’s Genuine Dawn, drawn from Frederick Douglass’s “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” Together, these works reflect on freedom as an ongoing responsibility rather than a finished promise.
The presentation includes orchestral and chamber music mock-ups, a Q&A with the artist, and—time permitting—a closing performance.
Held in partnership with Chamber Music Maryland to bring amazing chamber music artists to an intimate setting in the heart of Baltimore City. This series features three exceptional chamber music recitals, each followed by an exciting Meet-the-Artists reception.