Nathaniel Gumbs
Nathaniel Gumbs
Walt Disney Concert HallSouth Hope Street, Los Angeles 90012
Nathaniel Gumbs gives a solo organ recital celebrating composers who have shaped America’s musical landscape. His program moves from Bonnet’s Variations de Concert to Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess overture and “Summertime,” in Gumbs’s own transcription, alongside Stephen Kennedy, Margaret Bonds, Carlos Simon and Marcel Dupré’s Symphonie-Passion.
Gumbs learned by ear in his Baptist church in the Bronx, teaching himself on its organ during Saturday nights. Now Yale University’s Director of Chapel Music, he champions traditional spirituals and underperformed Black composers.
Designed by Frank Gehry, this concert hall is a striking architectural landmark with sweeping stainless steel curves that catch the light outside, while inside, its acoustics are meticulously crafted to deliver rich, clear sound to every seat. The auditorium seats over two thousand people in a space where the audience is fully immersed in the music, surrounded by warm wood paneling and a stage that brings performers close to listeners. The venue hosts ticketed performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other ensembles, offering an evening focused on attentive listening rather than casual socializing. Nearby bars and restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles provide options for pre- or post-show dining, but inside, the experience centers on the music in a refined, elegant setting.