ATLANTA — As School of Music graduate candidate Jackson Allred completes his master’s degree in orchestral conducting, he has one final project to finish at Georgia State: an ambitious multimedia documentary titled “Harmony of Freedom.”
Directed by Allred, the film commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act in August and pays tribute to the civil rights movement through the power of symphonic music. The documentary is currently in post-production and on target to debut this fall.
Allred conceived the idea for “Harmony of Freedom” last September, envisioning an orchestra of diverse musicians performing the powerful piece “Montgomery Variations” composed by music activist Margaret Bonds during the civil rights movement. Conducted by Allred and hosted by Emmy-nominated author, poet and playwright Jon Goode, the documentary features interviews with witnesses of and participants in the civil rights movement, including School of Music faculty member and musicologist Marva Carter and Jill Savitt, CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, who discuss the role of music during the period and reflect on both the past and the future.
Since entering the orchestral world two years ago, Allred has been passionate about representation and diversity. With only 2.1 percent of American orchestral musicians being Black, according to the League of American Orchestras, “Harmony of Freedom” aims to highlight this disparity while honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream.
“Instead of joining hands to sing ‘Free at Last,’ we have joined instruments to play it,” Allred said.
“Harmony of Freedom” embodies Allred’s philosophy as a conductor and director — that art should be living, purposeful and transformative. Whether through music, film or shared experience, he creates to move people — not just emotionally, but toward reflection, change and connection. For Allred, purpose-driven art is a force that unites, inspires and endures.
Allred devoted nearly a year to the documentary’s planning and production. He recruited over 80 cast and crew members and enlisted multiple partners, including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Georgia State University and WABE. A labor of love, all the services and resources were donated at an estimated value of over $250,000.
“‘Harmony of Freedom’ has been a life-changing experience for me,” Allred said. “It has been an incredible honor not only to collaborate with those involved but also to pay tribute to the civil rights advocates who came before us, especially Margaret Bonds. I am deeply grateful for her legacy, both as an artist and as an advocate for civil rights and equality. Her contributions continue to inspire and remind us of the power of music to drive change.”
The Music Selection
Bonds dedicated “Montgomery Variations” to King, exploring the themes and events of the civil rights movement, particularly the Montgomery bus boycott and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. Bonds, a witness to the movement, tells this impactful story over 22 minutes through seven movements: “Decision,” “Prayer Meeting,” “March,” “Dawn on Dixie,” “One Sunday in the South,” “Lament” and “Benediction.”
The Making of ‘Harmony of Freedom’
Amid Allred’s studies, leading orchestras, balancing family commitments and working as a maintenance diver at the Georgia Aquarium, of which he built a partnership with the School of Music, Allred has invested a tremendous amount of time and dedication into creating the film. Logistics included numerous meetings, negotiations and pitches, two full orchestra rehearsals, one full orchestra recording session, two days of set up and test runs, and the essential four to five days of filming. This does not include final editing, post-production, the premiere, promotions and distribution.
For the filming at GSU’s Kopleff Recital Hall, Allred brought together a diverse orchestra consisting of over 50 musicians, ranging from high school and college students to community and professional musicians. The ensemble represented 17 orchestras and institutions including the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Atlanta Opera Orchestra, San Antonio Philharmonic, Georgia State University faculty, Juilliard Symphony Orchestra, Georgia State University Symphony Orchestra, Emory University Symphony Orchestra, Kennesaw State University Orchestra, Schwob Philharmonic Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, ASO Talent Development Program alumni, Boston Civic Orchestra, Georgia Philharmonic, Camerata Música de Atlanta, Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Community Symphony Orchestra.
The featured interviews with Carter and Savitt were filmed at Ebenezer Baptist Church and at GSU’s Creative Media Industries Institute, which also provided camera equipment. Carter and graduate student Tyrese Floyd performed a piano-vocal rendition of the spiritual work “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” for the documentary, and School of Music alumnus Ricky Menendez (B.A Music Technology ‘23) and student William Tate led the audio engineering, along with support from Professor of Practice Ben Yonas.
The School of Film, Media & Theatre is credited for filming the documentary through the expertise of Professor of Practice Melba Williams, M.F.A. candidate Adriana Paulini Leao as a producer and production coordinator, GSU film alumna Emily Wilson (B.A. Film ‘21) as the first assistant director, and Shawna-Marie Walker (M.F.A. ’24) and Krew Keth (M.F.A. ’25), who both served as co-directors of photography.
“Harmony of Freedom” continues to receive community and media support through Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) for post-production services, counsel and distribution.
Whether through music or film, Allred highlights his commitment to creating unique ways to inspire change and connect with people.
“None of this would have been possible without the dedication of the musicians, cast and crew members, and the multiple institutions who generously donated their time and talents to bring this vision to life,” he said.
Allred is completing his graduate degree in orchestral conducting under the mentorship of Dr. Tamara Dworetz, and he actively collaborates with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in a wide variety of capacities. In addition, Allred was invited to audit the highly regarded Aspen Music Festival and Aspen Conducting Academy, where he gained significant experience in orchestral leadership and musicianship. He also served as interim manager for the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and continues to contribute as an assistant conductor, fostering the development and inspiration of the next generation of musicians.
For “Harmony of Freedom” updates and behind-the-scenes activities, follow on Instagram @harmony.of.freedom.