How The Illharmonic’s mix of hip-hop and classical builds community, one show at a time
The Illharmonic Orchestra, led by married performers Jeffrey and Andrea Coln McNeill, combines hip-hop and R&B with live classical instrumentation. The group says its performances create a sense of community while challenging the limited racial representation still found in many major symphony orchestras.
Jeffrey McNeill began connecting the genres as a child in 1987, when he paired the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Nearly 40 years later, the ensemble performs with all-Black orchestral musicians, using strings, horns, woodwinds and percussion; it has played major venues nationwide over the past two decades and recently performed at NPR ahead of a Washington, DC show.
- Hip-hop and classical music are combined to build inclusive concert experiences.
- The orchestra foregrounds Black classical musicians and representation.
- Its founders have developed the idea for nearly four decades.