Shirley Caesar to Receive Agape Award at Carnegie Hall Night of Inspiration on December 5
Gospel legend Shirley Caesar will receive the second annual Agape Award at Carnegie Hall's Night of Inspiration on December 5, 2026. The event, produced by music director Ray Chew and his wife Vivian Scott Chew, will also feature a tribute to gospel composer Richard Smallwood. Artists including Jonathan McReynolds, Jekalyn Carr, and Lisa Knowles-Smith are among the performers.
Gospel legend Shirley Caesar will be honored with the second annual Agape Award at Carnegie Hall's Night of Inspiration on December 5, 2026, organizers announced in late October.
The event, produced by music director Ray Chew and his wife and business partner Vivian Scott Chew, takes place in the Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall. This year marks the sixth installment of the concert series, which the Chews have produced in partnership with Carnegie Hall since 2009.
Caesar, known as the "Queen of Gospel," has recorded more than 40 albums and won eight Grammy Awards over a career spanning more than six decades. She is one of the most decorated artists in gospel music history.
The program also includes a special tribute to gospel composer and pianist Richard Smallwood, whose compositions have become standards in Black church worship.
Performers for the December 5 event include Jonathan McReynolds, Jekalyn Carr, Lisa Knowles-Smith and The Brown Singers, Donald Lawrence, Regina Belle, Wess Morgan, Avery Sunshine, Darrel Walls, and Azi Schwartz. The American Composers Orchestra is joining the production for the first time this year.
Past Night of Inspiration concerts at Carnegie Hall have featured a 64-piece orchestra and a 150-voice multicultural mass choir. The series blends sacred and secular performances with the goal of building community across religious and cultural lines.
Tickets are available through Carnegie Hall's website. The Gospel Music Association reported on the lineup in late October 2026.
