“A MORE PERFECT UNION: Musical Reflections on Five Amendments to the U.S. Constitution” will present concerts in months prior to America's 250th, interpreting constitutional amendments through the lens of contemporary music. New commissions and existing works by 30 diverse American composers, including 8 Pulitzer and Grammy Award-winners, and 11 World Premieres by Philadelphia composers, will examine our nation’s blueprint for democracy, provoking both profoundly serious and light-hearted thoughts on freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition; the right to bear arms; the abolition of slavery; women’s suffrage; and the repeal of prohibition. 

The U.S. Constitution was authored by forward-thinking “Founding Fathers,” who were in hindsight, far from perfect men. It therefore comes as no surprise that some extremely important and blatantly obvious rights were omitted in their first edition! A MORE PERFECT UNION will explore legislation that was necessary to improve the foundational structure of our government, penned here in Philadelphia, with a series of free and pay-as-you-wish events at historic sites and indoor/outdoor venues, concluding with a musical bar-crawl. 

Concert: Repeal of Prohibition

Thomas Whitman – A Hummingbird Flies to Mars*

*In 1930, Texas Senator Morris Sheppard famously said, “There is as much chance of repealing the 18th Amendment as there is for a hummingbird to fly to the planet Mars with the Washington Monument tied to its tail.”

Kile Smith – In the Ratskeller, German drinking songs

Nina Siniakova – Tsiache Vada U Yarok, Belorusian drinking song

Shinjoo Cho – Korean drinking song

Susan Watts – Klezmer/Jewish drinking song

Robert Maggio – I Saw A Skull, Sicilian drinking song

Darin Kelly – The Thirsty Irishman

Orchestra 2001 is offering admission options to remove barriers to attending concerts. Please choose an amount that fits your budget!