A Spirituals Experience by Yolanda F. Johnson in Partnership with Cayuga Museum of History and Art
Park Event · Harriet Tubman National Historical Park · Sep 12, 2026 · 3:00 PM–4:30 PM
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Cayuga Museum of History & Art are thrilled to co-host: “A Spirituals Experience” by Yolanda F. Johnson on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The special performance will take place in the historic Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church (address: 49 Parker Street, Auburn, NY) from 3pm – 4:30pm. Admission to the program is free, but registration is recommended as space is limited. More event information and registration link on Cayuga Museum’s website: https://cayugamuseum.org/a-spirituals-experience/
Program Description
Why wade in the water? And was there a reason for the "sweet chariot" to swing low? How does this treasured music fit into the American Art Song genre? Join us for a special concert, featuring soprano Yolanda F. Johnson and pianist Michael Eisenberg. Listen and learn about the spiritual journey and hidden communication in traditional African American Spirituals.
About the Artists
Yolanda F. Johnson (soprano) has had an outstanding career as a performing artist and philanthropy thought leader; as a composer, as an educator, and as a supporter of the arts and women’s equity. She completed her bachelor’s degree in voice from the University of Tulsa and graduate studies in voice, and an M.A. in Arts Management with a philanthropy focus from The University of Akron. Yolanda has performed nationally and internationally in many musical venues including opera, concert, oratorio, and sacred music. She is an active recitalist/lecturer on several musical subjects, specifically spirituals as related to the Underground Railroad and the works of women composers. Yolanda has recorded an album of Spirituals, Feel the Spirit! and co-created Music She Wrote, a celebration of women composers, with colleagues, Dr. Brooke Bryant, and Dr. Michael Eisenberg. She also actively composes new sacred musical works. In addition to her life as an artist, Yolanda is also a current International Advisory Board member of and the former Representative for the Foundation for Post-Conflict Development to the United Nations; her role with FPCD is to explore the impact of arts and culture as a means of rebuilding and healing for nations following war. She is also a member of the board of trustees of the Hudson River Museum, Special Advisor to the American Composers Orchestra, board of directors of the Lehman College Art Gallery and was the first African American President in the more than 40-year history of Women In Development, New York. With her successful performance background as the basis, Yolanda created All the World’s A Stage, a workshop that uses performance practice for confidence building, public speaking, and making the ask for yourself both personally and professionally. www.yolandafjohnson.com
Michael Eisenberg is a versatile and acclaimed pianist, harpsichordist, and conductor whose captivating performances have resonated across five continents. His recent orchestral appearances include collaborations with the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Stara Zagora State Orchestra, and the Orchestra Lirica di Milano, alongside chamber recitals with Bacchanalia. Beyond the stage, Michael is a dedicated scholar, currently delving into Ottoman music as a grantee with the Istanbul Research Institute. His extensive academic career includes teaching posts at prestigious institutions such as Columbia, Fordham, CUNY, Harvard, UCLA, the University of London School of Advanced Studies, the Italian Fulbright Commission, and the Bogliasco Foundation. He is the recipient of numerous grants and fellowships from esteemed organizations like the NEH, the Mellon and Delmas Foundations, the Folger, the Newberry, and the Getty Research Institute.
Source: National Park Service (public domain).
