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AfriClassical Futures brings Julius Eastman’s ten-cello work to Epiphany’s Sanctuary

The Chicago series places Eastman’s 1981 score in a Sunday afternoon program shaped by performance, discussion and an RSVP-based door policy.

Published 2026-08-04 · Reviewed by Nicolas Mathieu

AfriClassical Futures will present Julius Eastman’s The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc on Sunday, August 23, 2026, in the Sanctuary at Epiphany Center for the Arts. The free, RSVP-based program centers Eastman’s 1981 work for ten cellos and also includes the Prelude for solo voice, plus a work by guest conductor Ahmed Al Abaca.^[1][3]

The concert arrives through a Chicago series devoted to the achievements and challenges of African American composers and performers in classical music. Elastic Arts describes AfriClassical Futures as a space for considering relationships between African Diaspora music and Western art music, alongside artists’ experiences working in a Eurocentric field and their future ambitions. Julian Otis, Adam Zanolini and olula negre curate the series.^[2]

Eastman’s score fills the Sanctuary

The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc is cataloged as a large-ensemble work, with an approximate duration of 21 minutes. The publisher dates the piece to 1981 and credits cellist Clarice Jensen with the transcription used for its ten-cello instrumentation. At Epiphany, that design places a substantial single-family ensemble at the center of the afternoon’s program.^[1][3]

The event listing also identifies the Prelude for solo voice as part of the program. Juilliard’s notes describe its fragmented Joan of Arc narrative. Listeners will hear Eastman treat the subject through a lone voice and a dense cello ensemble.^[1][4]

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Ten cellos moving apart

Eastman’s cello movement begins with all ten instruments in unison, according to Juilliard’s program notes. From that shared opening, the players separate into individual lines. Ten cellists initially occupy one musical path, then gradually create a field of distinct parts.^[4]

Juilliard’s notes connect a recurring motif and shifting texture to the work’s dramatic arc. The musical relationship keeps changing: collective sound at the opening, individual trajectories as the texture opens, and a recurring idea moving through those changes.^[4]

Performance followed by conversation

AfriClassical Futures events pair performance with artist discussion. The conversations address artists’ work in a Eurocentric classical-music field, the ties between African Diaspora music and Western art music, and participants’ future ambitions. Artists and listeners get time to address those questions after the performance.^[2]

The series also appears in New Music USA’s 2026 New Music Inc. Chicago incubator cohort, one of 12 artist-led Chicago organizations selected for an 18-month program. New Music USA describes the cohort’s focus as mentorship, community building and organizational growth, with grant and travel-exchange support for participating groups.^[5]

Sunday afternoon details

Doors open at 4 p.m. Sunday, August 23, at Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave.; the performance runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Admission is free with an RSVP, and the venue listing specifies a 21+ policy with valid ID. Check Epiphany’s event listing for current RSVP availability, entry requirements and timing before heading to the Sanctuary.^[1]

Sources

1. AfriClassical Futures — August 23 event listing — Epiphany Center for the Arts
2. AfriClassical Futures — Elastic Arts Foundation
3. The Holy Presence of Joan d’Arc — Wise Music Classical
4. Vox Celli program notes — The Juilliard School
5. New Music Inc. Chicago 2026 awardees — New Music USA