This beloved annual event brings together your Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, special guest artists, local colleges, community partners, the 3rd ID Army Band, and more to present a fun and festive community celebration with nearly 25,000 in attendance. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and a delicious picnic, or enjoy our variety of food trucks — and just sit back, relax, and enjoy the music!
Flau’jae Johnson, known professionally as Flau’jae, is a rapper and LSU women’s basketball champion from Savannah, Georgia. Flau’jae first gained national attention on Jermaine Dupri’s reality television series “The Rap Game” in 2016. Her impressive lyrical skills and stage presence made her a standout contestant, and she quickly became a fan favorite. She later made history on “America’s Got Talent” during its 13th season, where she became the first rapper to receive the coveted Golden Buzzer, further solidifying her place in the spotlight.
Music runs deep in Flau’jae’s veins, inherited from her late father, the Universal recording artist Camouflage. This deep connection to her musical roots paved the way for her groundbreaking distribution deal with Jay Z’s Roc Nation (Equity Distribution), a testament to her undeniable talent and dedication to her craft. Her debut studio EP, “Best of Both Worlds,” released in July 2024, features 9 tracks that showcase her full range of artistic capabilities, including the highly anticipated “Came Out A Beast” featuring Lil Wayne. The project highlights her ability to be the best at both music and basketball.
Flau’jae’s rise in the music industry is marked by several notable projects. She released a single titled “AMF” featuring NLE Choppa which quickly became a fan favorite in the spring of 2024, during her time playing in the NCAA March Madness tournament. Her lyricism and unique sound have set her apart in the competitive world of rap, making her a formidable force to be reckoned with. In July of 2024, Flau’jae became the first athlete and artist to perform at The ESPYS on ESPN.
Beyond music, Flau’jae is a standout athlete, winning a championship with LSU’s women’s basketball team. Her standout skills on the basketball court have earned her numerous accolades, including SEC Freshman of the Year (2023), McDonald’s All-American (2022), MVP of Jordan Brand Classic (2022), Slam Summer Classic MVP (2021), and the invitation to participate in the Iverson Classic as the only girl to play. Her dual career in sports and music highlights her multifaceted talents and relentless work ethic.
Flau’jae has built a robust online community, affectionately known as The Flauk, with over 3 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Her influence continues to grow, making her a powerful figure in both the music and sports industries.
Boilerplate:
Flau’jae Johnson, known professionally as Flau’jae, is a rapper and LSU women’s basketball champion from Savannah, Georgia. She gained fame on “The Rap Game” and “America’s Got Talent,” becoming the first rapper to receive the Golden Buzzer.
Inspired by her late father, Universal recording artist Camouflage, Flau’jae signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation (Equity Distribution). Her debut EP, “Best of Both Worlds,” released in July 2024, features “Came Out A Beast” with Lil Wayne.
Flau’jae excels in sports, winning a championship with LSU in 2023. Her online community, The Flauk, includes over 3 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
American soprano Elizabeth Baldwin has been praised as being “ferociously talented” by the San Francisco Examiner and “mesmerizingly vulnerable” by the New York Times. Ms. Baldwin’s current 2023-24 season engagements include a debut with Vista Philharmonic Orchestra at the Groton Hill Music Center performing Dvorak’s Te Deum and Boyer’s On Music’s Wings, debuting the role of Magda in The Consul with Angels Vocal Art Summer Opera Festival in L.A., a debut with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra singing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, a debut with the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra singing Verdi’s Requiem, covering Latonia Moore as the title role of Tosca with Oklahoma City Philharmonic, a debut with the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre performing Nella in a double bill of Gianni Schicchi and Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost as well as soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, among others. Recent operatic engagements include: title role of Tosca with Anchorage Opera; Marguerite in Faust with Savannah VOICE Festival; Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer with Miami Music Festival’s Wagner Institute; title role of Norma with Municipal de Santiago Opera Nacional de Chile; Eva Crowley in Perla’s An American Dream with Anchorage Opera; Sieglinde in Die Walküre with Miami Music Festival’s Wagner Institute; Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with both Opera Company of Middlebury and NYC’s Loft Opera. Other highlights include: Tatiana in Eugene Onegin with Chautauqua Opera; title role of Tosca with Opera San Jose, Kentucky Opera, Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, Houston’s Opera in the Heights and Boston Youth Symphony; title role in Ariadne auf Naxos with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh; title role of Suor Angelica with Opera Project Columbus; Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera with Boston Youth Symphony; and Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes with Chautauqua Opera, a role she later covered with the San Francisco Symphony.
On the concert stage, Ms. Baldwin was heard recently in a recital performing with Howard Watkins at the Savannah VOICE Festival; Verdi’s Requiem with Alabama Symphony Orchestra (a work later covered with the San Diego Symphony); Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Akron Symphony, Sarasota Symphony Orchestra, and Gulf Coast Symphony; Handel’s Messiah with Erie Philharmonic Orchestra; and Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder with Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. She made her debut with Dallas Opera in their concert series entitled Verdi & Co., gave a NATS Texoma Conference Recital at Texas A&M University, and performed an all Wagner concert with Wagner Society of Washington D. C. She was also honored to return to her hometown as a special guest artist with the Toledo Opera on their annual opera gala concert. An active recitalist with a deep passion for lieder, Ms. Baldwin’s most recent collaborations include recitals with Ravinia Music Festival and Tanglewood Music Festival.
Ms. Baldwin is a 2024 First Place Gold Medalist with the American Traditions Vocal Collection Competition and two-time Sherrill Milnes Opera Award winner. She was also a National SemiFinalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; Grand Prize winner in The Sullivan Foundation Competition and Nicholas Loren Vocal Competition; First Prize winner in the National Orpheus Vocal Competition, The National Opera Association Competition, The Heida Hermanns International Voice Competition and the Mildred Miller International Vocal Competition. She has also been awarded grants from operatic organizations including Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation, Giulio Gari Foundation, Stella Maris International Competition (on board the MS Europa), Tanglewood Music Center, and Schulyer Foundation for Career
Bridges, among others. More information about Ms. Baldwin may be found on her website at:
Japanese-American violinist Hanami Froom is a skilled and passionate performer whose musical journey commenced at the age of 2. Throughout her career, Hanami has collaborated with a number of prestigious orchestras, including the Oregon Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Beaverton Symphony Orchestra, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, MetroArts Orchestra, Oregon Sinfonietta, Jewish Community Orchestra, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic Conservatory Orchestra.
Hanami is a winner of multiple competitions, including the International Great Composer Competition, MetroArts Young Artists Debut Concerto Competition, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition, Amadeus Chamber Orchestra Youth Competition, Oregon Sinfonietta Concerto Competition, Jewish Community Orchestra Young Artists Competition, and the Portland Youth Philharmonic Concerto Competition. She was also a winner at the state, division, and national levels of the Music Teachers National Association Competition for three consecutive years.
In the summer of 2024, Hanami was invited as a guest artist to the Aspen Music Festival, where she performed on Robert McDuffie’s Anniversary Reminiscences Program. Additionally, she participated in the Talent Summer Courses and Festival in Brescia, Italy, studying under David Kim. At this festival, she won the International Soloist & Orchestra Concerto Competition and delivered a distinguished performance of Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Master Orchestra.
Beyond her violin prowess, Hanami is fluent in Japanese and has a range of interests including composing, playing the piano, and engaging in karaoke. These diverse pursuits complement her musical career and underscore her well-rounded artistic profile.
Currently, at 18 years old, Hanami is a sophomore at the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, pursuing an undergraduate degree in violin performance under the mentorship of Robert McDuffie, Amy Schwartz Moretti, and David Kim. She is honored to attend the school on a full scholarship.
Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
For over 30 years, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out have been touring and releasing great, original bluegrass music. After spending a handful of formative years as a member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (and recording some legendary bluegrass music in the process), Russell Moore formed IIIrd Tyme Out in 1991 and bluegrass music hasn’t been the same since. IIIrd Tyme Out helped usher in a new era of youthful, energetic bluegrass and established a unique sound that has lasted well into the 21st century. Three decades later, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out are one of bluegrass music’s most-awarded touring bands with over 50 industry accolades to their credit. In 2019, Moore received his 6th Male Vocalist of the Year award from the International Bluegrass Music Association, maintaining the record as their most awarded in that category. With 18 albums and plenty of miles under his belt, Moore is excited about celebrating the band’s 30th Anniversary. “Even with all these years into it we’re just as ready to hit the road and play the music as we were our first day on the road in 1991.”
