Back to All Events

Hope!

Saturday, February 21, 2026
7:00 PM 8:15 PM

Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H Street Northeast Washington, DC, 20002 United States (map)

Google Calendar ICS

**Hope!**

Curated and led by assistant conductor Johannes Visser, this concert features music that is oriented around human connection, the strength and power of community to overcome, and how it, along with art, can bring about healing and hope. Featuring music by Visser, Prokofiev, and a new work by contemporary composer Jay Clay Gonzalez who specializes in creating interactive works, this concert will take audiences on a symphonic journey centered around human connection, the power of community to overcome, and, through music, the healing and hope that is possible.

Date & Time

Saturday, Februry 21, 2026 | 7:00 - 8:15 PM (75 minutes)

Location

Atlas Performing Arts Center (Official Website)
1333 H Street Northeast, Washington, DC, 20002, United States (map)

Tickets

Adult: $36.75

Tickets Here

Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival

Hope! is part of the annual Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, DC. This festival is a lively celebration where artists from all kinds of backgrounds come together to share their stories, perspectives, and creativity.

If you’re joining us for Hope!, take a moment to explore the rest of the festival lineup as well. The INTERSECTIONS Festival runs from mid-February to mid-March, and there are so many inspiring and fun performances happening along the way. You might discover a new artist or project you didn’t expect to love.

Learn more about the Atlas Intersactions festival

Conductor

Johannes Visser

Johannes Visser is a South African born composer and conductor whose music beautifully blends his heritage with the diverse musical traditions he has embraced since childhood. Now based in the Washington, D.C. area, he brings a deeply human perspective to his work, often exploring themes of social justice, equality, and inclusion through expressive orchestral writing and intimate solo works. His acclaimed string quartet vlug 295 and orchestral piece madiba se sprokie are among the works that reflect this emotional narrative. Johannes currently conducts with both the Capital City Symphony and the Prince George’s Philharmonic, while also serving on the faculty of the University of Maryland as Assistant Clinical Professor of Music Theory and Composition. He holds advanced degrees in composition and conducting, and his work has been recognized with several notable awards for excellence and artistic impact.

Learn More →

Composer

Jay Clay Gonzalez

J. Clay Gonzalez is a composer and sound artist based in Southeast Michigan whose work explores the ways music can build connection and community. Drawing from classical, folk, improvisatory, and experimental traditions, he creates immersive and participatory musical experiences that blur the line between performer and audience. He is the founder and director of the Regenerate! Orchestra, a project that reimagines the orchestra as an open, collaborative space where people of all backgrounds can make music together. His work frequently engages themes of place, nature, healing, and collective joy. Gonzalez holds BM and MM degrees in Composition from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Paul Schoenfeld, Kristin Kuster, Evan Chambers, and Erik Santos. In addition to composing, he works as an arranger and music engraver, contributing to Grammy-nominated recordings and major publications including the Gershwin Critical Edition and MUSA.

Learn More →