Songs for Hope 10th Annual Holiday Music Spectacular
featuring the Adrian Dunn Singers presented by Seein’ is Believin’
Friday, December 16
7pm
The Playhouse
Runtime
3 Hours
Age Recommendation
All ages
The Songs for Hope 10th Annual Holiday Music Spectacular returns to the Overture Center in Madison Wisconsin on Friday, December 16th at 7pm. This year marks the 10th year for the Songs for Hope Annual Holiday Spectacular. In honor of the tenth year, this concert will feature a special excerpt performance of the Adrian Dunn Singers’ Black Messiah.
This years concert will also feature a Black Holiday Mart before and after the show and during intermission. This holiday mart will feature Black vendors from around the state of Wisconsin. We are honored to support Black businesses during our 10-year celebration. If you are interested in becoming a vendor, please email Seein' is Believin'.
Meet the Artists
Adrian Dunn
The Adrian Dunn Singers is a group of 12 professional singers of diverse musical backgrounds based in Chicago. Members of group have trained at some of the top conservatories & Universities in America. They recently performed at the Thomas Dorsey National Convention of Gospel Choirs & Choruses in Dallas & were recently included in the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Prayer” exhibit. In addition to recording the Revelations Album, they have performed for the Payne Theological Seminary presidential inauguration in 2017 & provided music for the 2018 commencement exercises. The group recently made their National Cathedral Debut and have toured to Orlando, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Indianapolis. The Adrian Dunn Singers were most recently featured in the film “Honk for Jesus and Save Your Soul” on the Peacock Network.
Prenicia Clifton
Prenicia started this concert series in 2012 in honor of her dad, a dedicated teacher and fierce advocate for youth. Each year the concert is dedicated to supporting youth enrichment initiatives from backpacks and coats for low-income children to holiday gifts and after-school programs, Prenicia is honored to dedicate this year’s performance to supporting Seein’ is Believin Life Readiness Programming for young adults in Dane County.
The Black Messiah Preview
Upcoming Music Events at Overture
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Dance, Educational/Talks, Family Friendly, Folk Music, Free Events, Music, Theater, Variety, Visual Arts International Festival
Multiple Venues
Celebrate the rich cultural heritage within our community and enjoy nearly 30 FREE performances throughout Overture by artists who call Dane County home. Indulge in cuisines from around the world, browse stunning arts and crafts available for purchase and learn about the many local businesses with global connections.
10:00 AM -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents DRUM TAO: The Best
Capitol Theater
Experience the pulse-pounding power of Drum TAO, where traditional Japanese Wadaiko drums meet breathtaking performance and modern spectacle. Renowned for their dynamic choreography, striking visuals and thunderous rhythms, “Drum TAO” delivers a performance that is more than just a concert—it’s a full-body experience.
7:00 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Ax Plays Mozart
Overture Hall
Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks” is a mischievous tone poem that follows the antics of a legendary trickster. From daring escapades to clever pranks, the music captures Till’s irreverent spirit with virtuosic orchestral writing and humor.
Multiple Showtimes -
Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Tom Pease
Rotunda Stage
One of the series’ most popular performers, Tom Pease engages children with imaginative songs, humor and full audience participation. Pease’s show leaves audiences with a renewed appreciation for their own sense of place and community.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Classical Music, Cover Bands, Music, Overture Presents One Night of Queen performed by Gary Mullen and The Works
Capitol Theater
Get ready to rock! This high-energy, two-hour stage show brings the legendary music and iconic theatrics of Queen to life, featuring the incredible Gary Mullen & The Works.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks IV - Dueling Violins
Capitol Theater
Prepare to be mesmerized as two extraordinary violin masters, Gilles Apap and Eric Silberger, return to the stage for “Dueling Violins”—not as rivals, but as creative counterparts.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Film, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert
Overture Hall
Madison Symphony Orchestra’s MSO at the Movies presents “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ Live in Concert,” featuring John Williams’ GRAMMY® Award-winning score performed live to the film led by conductor Kyle Knox at Overture Hall.
Multiple Showtimes -
Family Friendly, Music Jerry Ensemble Cabaret
Promenade Hall
Get ready for a dazzling night of song and storytelling! The Jerry Ensemble takes the stage with a captivating cabaret featuring everything from beloved musical theater classics to the latest Broadway hits.
Multiple Showtimes -
Classical Music, Cyber Weekend, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music An Evening of Chamber Music and Organ
Overture Hall
As the Madison Symphony Orchestra celebrates 100 years this season, it seemed only fitting to bring fellow colleagues on stage with MSO Principal Organist Greg Zelek to showcase their talent and unique pairing. Get a chance to hear many of the orchestra musicians perform works as soloists with the organ.
7:30 PM -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Theater An Evening with Audra McDonald
Overture Hall
Overture Center is honored to welcome the incomparable Audra McDonald to Madison for an unforgettable evening of music and artistry. The Tony, Grammy and Emmy winner stands alone as one of the most celebrated performers of our time.
7:30 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Music LA Guitar Quartet
Overture Hall
Peruvian composer Jimmy López’s “Fiesta! Four Pop Dances for Orchestra” is a vibrant and exhilarating celebration of life, culture and happiness. Filled with pulsating rhythms, bold colors and infectious energy, it draws from the rich traditions of Latin American music and ends with a blazing techno finale.
Multiple Showtimes -
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Limanya Drum and Dance
Rotunda Stage
Performing traditional music from Guinea and Mali, West Africa, Limanya Drum and Dance Ensemble incorporates song, dance, drum and theater into high-energy entertainment for all audiences.
Multiple Showtimes -
Classical Music, Music, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Masterworks V - Saint-Saëns & Salome
Capitol Theater
Closing the 2025/26 Masterworks season is an evening of works known for their virtuosic demands and lush expressive beauty.
7:30 PM -
Classic Rock, Family Friendly, Music, Popular Music The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
Overture Hall
The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight presents a spellbinding 90-minute spectacle that infuses iconic rock and metal anthems with a hauntingly beautiful energy. Witness the unexpected union of classical music and metal.
8:00 PM -
Dance, Family Friendly, Free Events, Kids in the Rotunda, Music Duke Otherwise
Rotunda Stage
Don’t miss the wildly entertaining Duke Otherwise! This playful wordsmith, spirited performer and captivating tap dancer brings music and laughter to audiences of all ages.
Multiple Showtimes -
2025/26 Season, Cabaret, Music, Overture Presents Patti Murin: Once Upon a Stage
Capitol Theater Stage
Broadway star Patti Murin invites you on a journey through the music that has shaped her illustrious career. Murin brings her signature warmth, themes of love, resilience and the power of dreams—weaving in heartfelt reflections on motherhood and its impact on her life and artistry.
6:30 PM -
Classical Music, Madison Opera, Music, Theater Così fan tutte
Overture Hall
Two sisters, two suitors and a drunken wager about the nature of fidelity—what could possibly go wrong? Mozart’s deliciously risqué romantic comedy is full of sublime arias, sparkling ensembles and the complications that ensue when young love and flirtation encounter reality.
7:30 PM -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Up Close Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner
Capitol Theater Stage
Hailed as a “gifted virtuoso” (San Francisco Chronicle) with “masterful technique and a veritable deluge of sonorities” (La Presse Montreal), pianist Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner captivates audiences worldwide with his mesmerizing artistry and profound musical storytelling.
8:00 PM -
2025/26 Season, Music, Overture Presents, Popular Music Take 6
Capitol Theater
Experience the genius of Take 6, the most awarded a cappella group in history! Don’t miss the extraordinary vocal orchestra that continues to amaze audiences with their enduring legacy of harmony, faith and friendship.
7:30 PM