Bringing together repertoire from many diverse traditions, The Capital Hearings illuminate 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. The Capital Hearings break down barriers and prompt our audiences to build new bridges of understanding.


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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Young Composers Competition: Southard’s “In this short Life” Takes Top Prize

The Capital Hearings announced Keane Southard (keanesouthard.instantencore.com) as the winner of its 2018 Young Composers Competition. The group will premiere his piece, “In this short Life,” at its eighth annual fall concert, Worlds of Our Creation, on Saturday, Sept. 15 at Live at 10th and G. Southard’s lush work combines two short Emily Dickinson poems to create a meditation on time and the preciousness of life. The second half of the piece repeats the stanzas in reverse order, reminding listeners of time’s transience and circularity. “In setting these two short poems of Emily Dickinson, I had a strong musical idea ...
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