Join us for the next Music Aperitivo concert, in the intimate atmosphere of the Rizzoli Bookstore. Charge includes complimentary wine glass. Space is limited. Use the Eventbrite ticket to purchase a ticket. Doors open at 4:45 PM, concert starts at 5 PM. Alicia Waller is recognized for her work as bandleader for the jazz fusion ensemble Alicia Waller & The Excursion. A multi-talented singer-songwriter with a background as an operatic soprano, Waller has since focused on soul music, jazz, and the African diaspora as the foundation for her EP Some Hidden Treasure, released in February 2020 on innova Recordings in conjunction with the American Composers Forum. Her voice and sound have been hailed as “splendid and luminous," as well as “flexible and virtuosic.” Waller’s work and process were recently featured in the documentary series What Moves You by SkyHour. The short explores her vision to inspire cultural diplomacy through music, and desire to examine sounds that highlight the depth and beauty of the human experience. This season’s highlights include her debut at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in “Celebrating Her Voice: Women of the African Diaspora,” her first international tour with stops across Uganda, the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, as well as collaborations with the Korea Foundation Public Diplomatic Programs. Her work in music diplomacy has also brought international recognition for her rendition of “Quédate Luna,” by Venezuelan-American musician, Devendra Banhart, in a creative artistic collaboration that sought to energize Venezuelan expat communities through song and dance. Notable performance engagements include SoHo Opera, Opera Exposures at Snug Harbor Concert Hall, Vocal Migrations at the Gallatin Arts Festival, Prelude to Performance with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, A Soprano’s Guide to Love and Relationships with Gramercy Opera, Free to Sing with Strathmore Music Hall, the historic Nuyorican Poets Café, and Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Maryland Opera Studio. Waller received her undergraduate degree in vocal performance from the University of Maryland at College Park and graduate degree from the Gallatin School for Individualized Study at New York University, where she received several scholarships and distinguished graduating acknowledgements respectively. She is a 2021 recipient of awards from the American Composers Forum, New Music USA, Jerome Foundation, Lower Manhattan Community Council, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. She is currently working towards her debut album, due later this year.