“I loved the variety of music, exposure to new composers, the performance space and the enthusiasm of all of the performers. Keep it up!”

Bringing together repertoire from a diverse array of traditions, the Capital Hearings illuminate the commonalities between songs of all styles, from all eras – and the communities that birthed them. Our genre-busting mission unites complex jazz, transcendent global and classical music, and dynamic modern hits into a thought-provoking message, breaking down barriers and prompting our audiences to build new bridges of understanding.

What’s New?

Cooper Baldwin is our 2019 Young Composers Competition winner

Congratulations to Cooper Baldwin, winner of The Capital Hearings’ 2019 Young Composer Competition!  Mr. Baldwin’s new piece give me your tired, your poor offers a lush meditation on Emma Lazarus’ timeless poem The New Colossus, capturing the powerful emotion of seeing a beacon of hope at the end of an exhausting journey. In the composer’s own words: Even with all the animosity and turmoil that have come to define today's America, I believe the promise of our country remains a simple, empowering thing. I was born here, so can only begin to imagine what those who come from places far ...
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Echoes: The Capital Hearings present Kellyn Marie Goler

Each year, the Capital Hearings’ Songwriter Showcase celebrates D.C.'s thriving music scene by introducing local artists to new audiences. This year’s powerful collaboration, with District-based singer-songwriter Kellyn Marie Goler, will utilize the uniquely immersive, resonant acoustics of Dupont Underground to their fullest. DUPONT UNDERGOUND (Dupont Circle) Saturday, July 13, 7:30pm Get a glimpse behind the a cappella curtain with back-to-back world premieres of a new song by Goler, followed by a new version - for voices only - arranged by Amanda Taylor of “Groove For Thought.” The program will also feature a wide variety of folk, jazz, gospel, and classical music, ...
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REQUEST FOR SUBMISSIONS: POWER PLAYS – how does power shape your world?

When you’re at the bottom of the ladder, the top seems unreachable.  As soon as you feel empowered, though, it’s as if you’re unstoppable.  How has our society’s expression of power most affected you? The Capital Hearings are proud to announce our 6th Annual Young Composers Competition!  This year, we’re requesting submissions focused on the subject of “Power Plays” - the contrast between powerful people and those with none, the ways we gain and lose our own power, and any other way that power expresses itself to you. All U.S. & Canadian residents age 18-40 are welcome to submit a ...
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