From Steven Phillips on This Project
For many years I’ve dreamed of
getting my musical compositions
out into the world, but I never
took the time from a busy career
of performing, conducting, and
administrating to do that.
Until now. I’ve finally made a plan to get my music
published, and that plan revolves around my new
major work – Jazz Mass For a New Humanity. On
May 1, 2026 a professional company will film the
Via Nova Chorale performing the 75-minute piece
at a total cost of $9,500. This film will
not only grow the reputation of
Via Nova Chorale, it will also allow us
to pitch the Jazz Mass to publishers,
conductors, and educators around
the nation and the world.
Your donations will make
this all possible.
About Jazz Mass For a New Humanity
This 11-movement work sets the texts of the Latin
mass in conversation with sacred writings of other
traditions, along with settings of poems by Rumi,
Maya Angelou, Wendell Berry, Cynthia Rylant, and
myself. The jazz styles I use include blues, swing,
black gospel, modal jazz, and jazz-rock fusion.
This piece doesn’t exalt any one religion, but it is
structured around seven important spiritual qualities:
intention, compassion, wonder, love, presence,
sacrifice, and belonging.
These are seven qualities all our humanitarian heroes
had, qualities we desperately need to create a more
loving humanity. It’s time for us to imagine new ways
to be together as one human family! If we don’t
begin to embody these traits as a race then we
won’t survive much longer.
How it Sounds
With all these serious ideas, you might imagine
the Jazz Mass will sound somber. In fact, the music
is energetic, highly engaging, and even thrilling at
times. My goal is to keep hearers riveted from
beginning to end, and it’s working. In March 2025
the Via Nova Chorale performed the work to
repeated standing ovations and many requests to
perform it again. So…the repeat performance is on
Friday, May 1, 2026 at 7:00 PM at First Presbyterian
Church of Sarasota. This concert will be filmed with
multiple cameras and professional audio, and it will
be the concert of a lifetime for me.
The Lineup
An important part of the success of Jazz Mass For a
New Humanity is the stellar lineup of jazz players
backing up the Via Nova Chorale. That slate includes
powerhouse vocalist Maicy Powell from West Coast
Black Theater Troupe; trumpeter James Suggs;
saxophonist Fernando Cruz; guitarist Norman Johnson;
drummer Dr. Rashad Greene; percussionist Mark DeRose;
bassist Isaac Mingus; trombonist Dr. Daniel Mach-Holt;
and pianist/conductor/bandleader Steven Phillips.
How to Donate
Donations may be made to Via Nova Chorale
designating Film Project, and are tax deductible.
VIA NOVA CHORALE 501(c)(3) PUBLIC CHARITY
— FEDERAL TAX I.D. #27-2822198 CONTRIBUTIONS
ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE AS ALLOWED BY LAW. A
COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION #CH20500
AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED
FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY
CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA OR BY ACCESSING THEIR
WEBSITE AT: WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM.
REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT,
APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
THIS ORGANIZATION RETAINS 100% OF ALL
CONTRIBUTIONS. FLORIDA NONPROFIT REGISTRATION.
Our Production Company – MakSchu, LLC
Karim and Christina Maksoud met at Ringling
College of Art and Design in 2014, where they
both studied Motion Design. After Christina's
graduation in 2016, and a year of photography
experience for Karim, they had created MakSchu, LLC.
Their main focus is creating designs, animations,
and promotional videos for locally run Tampa Bay
companies. These videos will help businesses
market their missions, and reach out to their
communities. In the past 4 years, MakSchu has
grown exponentially. They have collaborated
with over 100+ businesses in the Tampa Bay area
and produced limitless visual content. They have
been grateful to work with start-up businesses
to major corporations such as Bealls Inc.,
Champs Sports, Visit Sarasota County, and
Visit California. Some of these collaborations
have led to awards!
Your support means Jazz Mass For a New Humanity
lasts more than one night, that it can last
beyond the moment, that it can live on in your car
stereo, on Spotify, YouTube, with the goal of
inspiring our next steps in human growth.