Today in 1972, the Jacksonville Symphony held a sesquicentennial concert that featured an original composition by Duke Ellington entitled “Celebration”, written specifically for Jacksonville’s 150th birthday. Ellington himself was on hand at Jacksonville’s Civic Auditorium for the special evening and the performance received rave reviews. The symphony then took the program on the road, performing two nights later at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC followed by a final performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The city of New York even renamed Times Square “Jacksonville Sesquicentennial Square” for the occasion. The ambitious mini tour was one of the highlights of the sesquicentennial celebration.
News clippings courtesy of Jacksonville Historical Society