Welcome to Gateways LIVE

Tune in for our next broadcast on Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 11:00AM and 4:00PM ET.

about THE program

Join us online at 11am and 4pm ET for Gateways Giving Day, honoring Armenta Hummings Dumisani’s 90th birthday and celebrating the future of Black artistry in classical music.

Help Sustain THIS Home for
Black Classical Artistry

Whether one-time, monthly, or quarterly, your support helps Gateways bring live programs like tonight’s to life, care for our artists, and build a legacy that will inspire generations.

DONATE TODAY

3% Cover the Fee

MAIL YOUR DONATION: To send a donation via mail, please make check out to “Gateways Music Festival” and send to 26 Gibbs Street, Box 58, Rochester, NY 14604.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: To inquire about your donation, planned gifts, underwriting, sponsorship or gifts-in-kind, please contact LaTanya Afolayan at 585-274-1127 or by email.

Gateways Music Festival is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Your gift is fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Gateways’ Federal Employer / Tax Identification Number (FEIN/TIN) is 16-1562873.

Founded to counteract the isolation and underestimation faced by many Black classical artists, Gateways Music Festival embodies creativity, resilience, and community.

our story

Since 1993, Gateways Music Festival has been unwavering in its commitment to the ongoing project of equity for Black people, recognizing that this work is far from complete. Gateways challenges and disrupts the historical use of art to perpetuate racial hierarchies by celebrating and amplifying the contributions of Black classical musicians and sustaining this community of artists and its rich tradition. By providing a platform for Black classical artists, Gateways not only showcases their talent but also redefines cultural and aesthetic narratives, using art to foster a more just, inclusive world. 

LEARN MORE

Connect with Gateways

This June, during #BlackMusicMonth, we’re launching something new. 🤩 Our inaugural #GatewaysGivingDay campaign honors founder Armenta Hummings Dumisani, who turns 90 on June 27. For more than 30 years, Miss Armenta’s vision has shaped
🍎 Friends in New York City — meet us in Times Square. ✨ This Thursday @ 4PM, the Gateways Brass Collective brings the living legacy of Gateways to one of New York City’s most iconic cultural attractions. Presented as part of Carnegie H
Today, we’re proud to announce Gateways Giving Day. 🎶 Black artistry in classical music has always been here — in our sound, our stories, our discipline, our imagination, and in the artists who continue to expand what this tradition ca
Gateways Music Festival stands in solidarity with the Black Orchestral Network and its third “Dear American Orchestras” letter. 🖤 In its third “Dear American Orchestras” letter, BON calls on orchestras and funders to reimagi
Outtakes from a very special closing event in Winston-Salem that still has us in our feelings. 🫶🏾 From a full house of eager, supportive Winstonians, to presentations honoring the family of Armenta Hummings Dumisani, award recognitions, and unforg
Coming home never felt so sweet, y’all ❣️ Winston-Salem, after three special days—and with just two days left in the 2026 Spring Festival—you’ve welcomed Gateways’ return with packed houses and truly generous Southern h
It’s good to be home. 🖤 Gateways has returned to Winston-Salem for our 2026 Spring Festival, and we’re just getting started. Yesterday, the Gateways Brass Collective kicked things off with performances at Centenary Methodist Church and
From Atlanta to Winston-Salem. 🙌🏾 Last month, the Gateways Brass Collective was on the ground at the HBCU National Band and Orchestra Directors’ Consortium Convention—leading masterclasses, connecting with educators, and pouring into t