According to NPR, the ensemble blends hip-hop and R&B vocals with live horns, woodwinds, strings, and percussion performed entirely by Black orchestral musicians.
The Origins of Hip-Hop Meets Classical
According to an interview with NPR, his father introduced him to The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” around the same time he was taking flute and piano lessons. When his brother brought home the Beastie Boys track “Paul Revere,” McNeill recalled that it sounded like an effortless match with Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Nearly four decades later, that realization materializes in The Illharmonic Orchestra, which he leads with his wife, vocalist Andrea Coln McNeill, who performs as “The Phoenix.”
Representation in Major Symphony Orchestras
A central mission for the ensemble is expanding racial representation within classical music performance. According to Andrea Coln McNeill in her interview with NPR, some major symphony orchestras still lack diversity. However, she emphasized that conservatory-trained musicians, doctorate holders, and self-taught artists of color actively exist within the professional music community. “Folks who look like us, who play these instruments, who have the training, who have been to the conservatory, who have the Ph.D.s, or self-taught — we know that that talent level exists within the folks that look like us,” she told NPR.
A Community-Driven Concert Experience
Rather than adopting the traditional, quiet atmosphere of a formal classical recital, The Illharmonic Orchestra models its shows after communal gatherings. Jeffrey McNeill described the events to NPR as a house party inside a concert hall. This interactive environment allows audiences to connect directly with the performers on stage, fostering an inclusive atmosphere where concertgoers see themselves reflected in the musicians, according to the founders.
Worth a look