dope /dop/
noun

1. a person or thing that is extremely cool, exciting, or impressive.
2. a term reclaimed in popular culture to signify excellence, authenticity, and creative innovation.

The third concert of the Mason Bands’ 55th Anniversary season, Dope, is a celebration of power, identity, and unapologetic expression. Featuring music by some of today’s most dynamic and visionary composers, this program amplifies Black voices and honors the trailblazing artistry that continues to shape the sound of now.

The program includes Kevin Day’s Glasshouse, performed by the 55th Anniversary Pierrot Chamber Ensemble—a work that explores fragility, groove, and intensity through jazz-inflected harmony and contemporary rhythmic language.

Will Healy’s Noctuary, presented in collaboration with vocalist Adiza Gustama and rapper Chris Thompson, seamlessly blends classical textures, hip hop, and spoken word. The Mason Wind Symphony proudly serves as a consortium partner for this work, which offers a powerful meditation on dreams, identity, and transformation.

Also featured is Omar Thomas’ Forward/Still—a poignant and defiant tribute to the endurance and progression of Black Americans across generations. Evocative and unflinching, the work challenges audiences to reflect, remember, and move forward.

The title work, Katahj Copley’s Dope, is a vibrant, genre-bending celebration of Black musical legacy. Structured in three movements—UNDENIABLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY, and UNDISPUTEDLY—the piece draws inspiration from artists like Kendrick Lamar, Thundercat, John Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Tyler, the Creator, Kamasi Washington, and more. From gritty grooves to expansive harmonic colors, Dope is both a tribute and a statement: confident, creative, and proudly Black.

The Mason Bands are also excited to share the stage with the West Springfield High School Wind Ensemble, conducted by Wolson Gustama. This collaboration highlights the ongoing partnership between George Mason University and music educators in the region who are shaping the next generation of performers and creators.

Together, these works form a concert experience that is bold, expressive, and unmistakably dope.

Tickets: $19 General Public, $14 Seniors, $9 Students
Fees apply. Learn More