Artist Abi Mustapha
The Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative brings dynamic energy, uncommon collaboration, and unbounded joy to the stage, delivering rarely performed gems by Black composers and songwriters to the audience and strengthening community by giving back through benefits and partnerships.
We represent and honor the foundational offerings to music by Black composers and songwriters, cultivate authentic relationships among the performers and in community, and radiate a vibrant presence modeling diversity and delivering empowerment, healing and joy.
Upcoming Events
“The Heart of a Woman”: A Black Classical Mother’s Day
May 10, 2026; 4:00PM
517 Center St., Santa Cruz
May 10, 2026; 4:00 PM ; Progressive Missionary Baptist Church (517 Center St., Santa Cruz)
$20-$30 suggested contribution
Join Musical Soulmates Performer’s Collaborative for our Black Classical Mother’s Day- for the third year in a row!
Musical Soulmates presents another intimate, gorgeous afternoon of chamber music, almost all written by prominent Black composers and offered in the Historic Black Church in Santa Cruz (517 Center Street) brought to you with grace and joy by Soprano Candace Johnson, Flautist Teresa Orozco, and Pianist Kate Saphir Alm. The concert celebrates the multifaceted experience of motherhood and holds space through music for grief and loss that is part and parcel. It is an ode to the power of music to heal, in honor of the original intention of Mother's Day, which was to bring an end to war.
In the words of a poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper ( 1825-1911), set to music by Rosephanye Powell , and on our Mother’s Day Concert:
Music to soothe all its sorrow,
Till war and crime shall cease;
And the hearts of men grown tender
Girdle the world with peace.
Black Classical Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10, 2026
517 Center Street
Contribute ahead of time ($20-$30 suggested) for reserved seating and gift and to support our ongoing programming…
Venmo: @Musical Soulmates
Freedom Panorama
Saturday, June 27, 2-6 PM
Abbott Square, Santa Cruz
Thank You For Attending
Let The Caged Bird Sing III
October 12, 2025 at Kuumbwa Jazz
Black Lives Matter
The Santa Cruz African American church community embraced and accepted Kate in the 90s, leading to long term community ties and sustaining Kate throughout her a 25 year immersion in Black Gospel music that included membership in the Gospel Music Workshop of America.
After singing with Gospel Music Workshop of America in Detroit, Kate brought the music back to the Santa Cruz Civic, forming a 50-voice youth choir to perform with her and with the late Sista Monica for UCSC’s annual MLK, Jr. Convocation, 2003. Shown here is current Performers Collab contributor, Michelle Nash, as a youth…
After George Floyd, Kate was moved to ask Juneteenth Santa Cruz if she could take the Juneteenth stage and contribute Freedom Songs written by Black artists and to support Black singers in singing them. An earier version of the Musical Soulmates Performers Collaborative, this array of Santa Cruz’ finest artists was called The Juneteenth Collective…
Please send donations of any amount to:
Musical Soulmates PO Box 145
Davenport, CA 95017
Venmo: @MusicalSoulmates
To donate through Square CLICK HERE
Musical Soulmates is registered with Benevity: Musical Soulmates is a nonprofit organization that is tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Contributions made to it are tax deductible, subject to the general limitations otherwise applicable to contributions for income tax reporting purposes. Musical Soulmates is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests under Section 2055: Please search us through your corporation, who will match a donation… Thank you for your attention, care, and support. We can’t do this without you!
