“Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service”
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Program: 3:00 PM
Pre-Event Luncheon: 12:30-2:30 PM
There is no fee to attend the program or lunch. All are welcome.
Attendance Capacity: 1,000 attendees
As the grand finale of the Syracuse International Jazz Fest in 2026, Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University will once again host “Return to Community: A Sunday Gospel Jazz Service,” featuring performances by the Winston-Salem State University Choir, The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE) of Syracuse University, and a community choir comprised of Syracuse-area residents.
This exciting program, which delighted more than 800 patrons in 2025, will offer a dynamic and inclusive spiritual experience that fuses and celebrates Gospel and Jazz music, includes a pre-event welcome luncheon, and seeks to spark and sustain renewal in our local community and beyond. The program and luncheon are both free of charge and open to all.
No registration is necessary however, you can join the Facebook event to receive reminders.
RAIN AND INCLEMENT WEATHER
This event will be held rain or shine! For the luncheon, large event tents will protect everyone from the rain. In the event of inclement weather, attendees will be directed to a safe location.
Join the Community Chorus:
All interested in participating in the community choir may contact Cora Thomas at cathomas@syr.edu or Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901.
Parking:
Free parking will be available in the Irving Garage and the Raynor Lot.
Shuttles will start running from the Irving Garage and the Raynor Lot beginning at 11:30 A.M.
For parking maps, visit: https://parking.syr.edu/visitors-to-campus/lot-directions-and-maps/
Accessibility:
For accessible parking, please call Hendricks Chapel at 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.
CART, ASL and Aira will be offered at this event.
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is the instant translation of the spoken word into English text using a stenotype machine, notebook computer and real-time software. This is useful for English speakers who are hard of hearing or deaf.
An American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter translates a service or program for those who know ASL and are deaf or hard of hearing.
Aira is a visual interpreting service that makes visual information accessible for people who are blind or have low vision, or for any person with a disability who may benefit from verbal descriptions of visual information. Syracuse University is a proud Aira Access Partner. SU makes Aira visual interpreting services available to our community of students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, and visitors on campus at no cost. Interpreters audibly describe a person’s visual surroundings via a live professionally-trained agent and the Aira Explorer mobile app.
Winston-Salem State University Choir
The Grammy-nominated Winston-Salem State University Choir (aka WSSU Singing Rams) is the oldest student organization on the campus of Winston-Salem State University. There is evidence to prove that the institution of the choir predates the Department of Music, of which it is now a part. The University Choir is now under the leadership and baton of Maestra D’Walla Simmons Burke. This University Choir has performed commissioned works, such as On Imagination and I Too (Undine Smith Moore), Recent Reflections on Deep River (Michael Williams), Come Sunday (arr. S. Van Dixon), Hold On and Oh, What a Beautiful City (arr. Stacey Gibbs), to name a few. Under the leadership of Maestra Simmons-Burke, the Winston-Salem State University Choir has traveled both nationally and internationally. Read more about Maestra Simmons-Burke below.
The Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE) of Syracuse University
Founded in 1977 by Rev. Dr. Seretta C. McKnight to provide a spiritual home for Black students at Syracuse University, the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble (BCCE) ministers through Gospel music that fosters and supports academic excellence at a university welcoming to all. Led by student director Joshua Garvin ’25 and supported through The Alumni Group (TAG) of the BCEE, the choir has performed at numerous venues throughout North America, including the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (Atlanta, GA), the spiritual home of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and currently led by Rev. Dr. Senator Raphael Warnock.
Gospel Jazz Community Choir
To honor the Sunday Gospel Jazz Service theme of “Return to Community,” a diverse community choir composed of Syracuse area residents will once again be led by Cora Thomas, known locally as “Syracuse’s First Lady of Gospel Music.” Born and raised in Syracuse, Thomas serves on numerous community organizations and hosts “Sunday Morning Gospel” on WAER 88.3 of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. All interested in participating in the community choir may contact Cora Thomas at cathomas@syr.edu or Hendricks Chapel at chapel@syr.edu or 315.443.2901.
Pre-Event Outdoor Welcome Luncheon
To express the Sunday Gospel Jazz Service theme of “Return to Community,” a pre-event outdoor welcome luncheon, featuring free food and refreshments, will take place on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle of Syracuse University from 12:30 PM-2:30 PM. At 2:30 PM, the first 1,000 guests will be ushered into Hendricks Chapel for the 3:00 PM Sunday Gospel Jazz Service start time.
Syracuse International Jazz Fest
For additional information on the 2025 Syracuse International Jazz Fest, please visit syracusejazzfest.com.
Maestra D’Walla Simmons-Burke
Maestra D’Walla Simmons-Burke is the Director of Choral and Vocal Studies and founder of three of five choral ensembles currently existing within the department of music at Winston-Salem State University (Amazwi Treble; Complesso Voce’ and the renowned BurkeSingers). The other choral ensembles are the Grammy-nominated Winston-Salem State University Choir (aka WSSU Singing Rams) and Schola Cantorum. Her choirs have performed with local, regional and world symphony orchestras and are well sought-after for the performances of master choral works, social justice songs, spirituals, and world music. Maestra Simmons-Burke’s ensembles have also performed on national stages such as Carnegie Hall (NY), The Washington National Cathedral, and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (NY). These ensembles have performed internationally with her in Prague, Czech Republic; Nassau, Bahamas; Accra, Cape Coast & Kumasi, Ghana – West Africa; and Pilanesberg, Cape Town; Johannesburg – South Africa; Vienna and Salzburg, Austria. She was named one of the national conductors for the 105 Voices of History Concert Choir in Washington, DC, Nashville, TN and Nassau, Bahamas. She also received the 105 Voices of History John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center Medallion for her work with this concert choir. Simmons-Burke was appointed the national choral coordinator and one of three national conductors who lead the 105 Voices of History Concert Choir in their inaugural performance at the Grand Ole Opry…the first of its kind.
Because of Maestra Simmons-Burke’s work with mass concert choirs, she was selected as co-conductor for the 2020 Inaugural Mass HBCU Concert Choir of the ACDA Southern Region and guest conductor of the 2022 ACDA Southwestern Region Mass HBCU Honor Concert Choir. Her choral ensembles have performed for and/or with regional, national, and international dignitaries. Simmons-Burke is the recipient of several teaching, community service, and performance awards for her national achievements in music and research. Recently, Winston-Salem State University recognized Maestra Simmons-Burke with the Inaugural Simon G. Atkins Champion of Education Award. The North Carolina American Choral Directors Association presented Maestra Simmons-Burke The Lara Hoggard Award for Distinguished Service in Choral Music in North Carolina. Winston-Salem State University has also recognized Maestra Simmons-Burke for her social justice and community service in music by awarding her the 2025 Martin Luther King, Jr. Building the Dream Award. The Raleigh Links, Inc. is awarding her with the 2026 Emerald Awards in the Arts.
She is listed in Outstanding Young Women of America and holds memberships in several professional organizations such as the Music Educators National Conference; American Choral Directors Association; Chorus America; National Association for the Study and Performance of African-American Music; National Association of Negro Musicians; Intercollegiate Music Association; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and The Moles.