Orchestra Noir

ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY PRESENTS
ORCHESTRA NOIR: THE CULTURE 2000 TOUR,
 A NIGHT OF ORCHESTRAL RENDITIONS OF
EARLY 2000S HIP-HOP AND R&B HITS,
 OCTOBER 18, 2025

Led by Philadelphia’s own Jason Ikeem Rodgers,
Orchestra Noir Maestro and Founder,
and School District of Philadelphia Alumnus and Former Teacher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (September 8, 2025) – Ensemble Arts Philly presents Orchestra Noir: The Culture 2000 Tour at the Miller Theater on October 18, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. Under the direction of Maestro Jason Ikeem Rodgers, the orchestra will deliver a high-impact night of music, movement, and nostalgia as it reimagines the biggest 2000s hip-hop and R&B hits through an orchestral lens.

Founded in 2016 by Maestro Jason Ikeem Rodgers, Orchestra Noir celebrates the cultural achievements of African-American music pioneers across all genres of music, including classical, jazz, blues, hip-hop and R&B. Orchestra Noir has experienced a meteoric rise to be one of the most talked about orchestras in the nation, as it continues to successfully bring orchestral music to a diverse audience in a grand and spectacular fashion.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Maestro Rodgers is a proud alum of the Philadelphia School District and began his career as an instrumental music teacher within the district. Now, he returns to the city that sparked his musical journey to share Orchestra Noir’s latest show with his hometown. “I’m incredibly proud to bring this show home,” says Maestro Jason Ikeem Rodgers, Orchestra Noir’s founder, conductor, and musical architect. “Philly gave me my musical foundation – from growing up here, to teaching music in this very school system. This city is where it all began for me. To return now with this tour and Orchestra Noir, celebrating our culture – there’s no better feeling.”

“Helmed by Philadelphia’s own Jason Ikeem Rodgers – who trained professionally at the Cleveland Institute of Music and at University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts – Orchestra Noir brings a vibrant and visionary approach to the stage,” said Frances Egler, Vice President of Theatrical Programming and Presentations. “With this ensemble’s first performance in our Miller Theater, we applaud Rodgers for his creativity, his commitment to the future of orchestral instrumentation, and his passion for arts education.”

Orchestra Noir has worked on projects with global brands such as Time Warner, NBC Universal, Atlantic Records, Lionsgate, YouTube Music, BET, OWN Network, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and countless more. In addition, Orchestra Noir has worked with international hip-hop stars 2Chainz, Migos, Trina, and 9x GRAMMY® Award-winning super-producer, Bryan-Michael Cox.

Since its inception, Orchestra Noir has been a meaningful advocate for music education by inspiring the next generation of young, minority musicians through various education-centered concerts, including side-by-sides and children’s concerts. Most recently, Orchestra Noir completed a 3-day residency in Montgomery, AL, which exposed underserved youth and aspiring young musicians to professional orchestral musicians of color.

Other featured upcoming performances include TwoSet Violin (October 7, 2025, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center); Nate Smith (October 11, 2025, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center); Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson: The Cosmic Perspective (October 20, 2025, Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center); Tasha & Naomi Live in Concert (October 25, 2025, Miller Theater); Jimmy Carr: Laughs Funny (November 6, 2025, Miller Theater); The Moth Mainstage (November 7, 2025, Miller Theater); Asi Wind: More Than Magic (November 8, 2025, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center); Tom Papa: Grateful Bread Tour (November 8, 2025, Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center); An Evening with Samara Joy (November 11, 2025, Miller Theater); Guenther Steiner: Unfiltered LIVE (November 13, 2025, Miller Theater); and Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent (November 14–15, 2025, Perelman Theater inside the Kimmel Center).

Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org, by calling 215-893-1999, or in person at the Academy of Music Box Office (240 S. Broad Street) daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.

Orchestra Noir: The Culture 2000 Tour
Miller Theater
Saturday, October 18, 2025, 8:00 p.m. 

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ABOUT ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY
For more information about ENSEMBLE ARTS PHILLY, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.     

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