Arts & Culture
Daneen Wilburn: Songs of Grace and Resilience
11 Sep 2026
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Park & Market - Guggenheim Theatre
Andrew Waltz - awaltz@ucsd.edu
Purchase Tickets
A Powerful Voice, A Remarkable Story
A vocalist of extraordinary emotional depth and authenticity, Daneen Wilburn has been performing since childhood. Raised in a musical family, she first gained national attention performing alongside legendary gospel artists at the Hollywood Bowl. After stepping away from the stage to raise her family, Wilburn made a remarkable return to music and has since become one of San Diego’s most compelling vocalists.
Her performances blend the spiritual power of gospel with the expressive traditions of jazz, blues, and soul. Moving effortlessly between soaring spirituals, intimate ballads, and heartfelt storytelling, Wilburn creates performances that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Her acclaimed a cappella rendition of Amazing Grace at Tony Gwynn’s memorial at Petco Park, performed before more than 25,000 people, became one of San Diego’s most memorable musical moments. The performance showcased Wilburn’s rare ability to connect with an audience through vulnerability, hope, and song.
Since then, she has performed for former First Lady Laura Bush, sung at the wedding of Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan, and released her critically praised debut recording, produced by Grammy Award-winning musician, composer, educator, and UC San Diego Teaching Professor Kamau Kenyatta.
A vocalist of extraordinary emotional depth and authenticity, Daneen Wilburn has been performing since childhood. Raised in a musical family, she first gained national attention performing alongside legendary gospel artists at the Hollywood Bowl. After stepping away from the stage to raise her family, Wilburn made a remarkable return to music and has since become one of San Diego’s most compelling vocalists.
Her performances blend the spiritual power of gospel with the expressive traditions of jazz, blues, and soul. Moving effortlessly between soaring spirituals, intimate ballads, and heartfelt storytelling, Wilburn creates performances that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.
Her acclaimed a cappella rendition of Amazing Grace at Tony Gwynn’s memorial at Petco Park, performed before more than 25,000 people, became one of San Diego’s most memorable musical moments. The performance showcased Wilburn’s rare ability to connect with an audience through vulnerability, hope, and song.
Since then, she has performed for former First Lady Laura Bush, sung at the wedding of Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan, and released her critically praised debut recording, produced by Grammy Award-winning musician, composer, educator, and UC San Diego Teaching Professor Kamau Kenyatta.
Music, Memory and Conversation
Throughout the evening, Kamau Kenyatta will moderate conversations with Wilburn, providing insight into the musical traditions, cultural influences, and lived experiences that have shaped her artistic journey.
As the producer of Wilburn’s debut recording and a longtime collaborator, Kenyatta brings a uniquely informed perspective to the evening. Together, Wilburn and Kenyatta create an experience that goes beyond a traditional concert, inviting audiences to discover the stories and influences behind the music.
Opening the 2026 Intersections Concert Series
Songs of Grace and Resilience launches the 2026 Intersections Concert Series, Soundscapes of Identity and Connection. This season explores how music creates connections across cultures, generations, places, and lived experiences.
From gospel and jazz to Afro-Latin fusion, world music, soul, and contemporary improvisation, Intersections celebrates artists who draw from cultural heritage and personal experience to create music that is both rooted in tradition and alive in the present.
Through performance and conversation, the series invites audiences to experience music not simply as entertainment, but as story, memory, cultural expression, and shared human connection.
Join UC San Diego Extended Studies for an inspiring evening with Daneen Wilburn and discover the power of music to heal, inspire, preserve heritage, and bring communities together.
About the Intersections Concert Series
Presented by UC San Diego Extended Studies, the Intersections Concert Series brings exceptional artists and diverse musical traditions to San Diego audiences. Each performance explores the intersections of music, culture, identity, and community through immersive live performances and artist conversations.
Throughout the evening, Kamau Kenyatta will moderate conversations with Wilburn, providing insight into the musical traditions, cultural influences, and lived experiences that have shaped her artistic journey.
As the producer of Wilburn’s debut recording and a longtime collaborator, Kenyatta brings a uniquely informed perspective to the evening. Together, Wilburn and Kenyatta create an experience that goes beyond a traditional concert, inviting audiences to discover the stories and influences behind the music.
Opening the 2026 Intersections Concert Series
Songs of Grace and Resilience launches the 2026 Intersections Concert Series, Soundscapes of Identity and Connection. This season explores how music creates connections across cultures, generations, places, and lived experiences.
From gospel and jazz to Afro-Latin fusion, world music, soul, and contemporary improvisation, Intersections celebrates artists who draw from cultural heritage and personal experience to create music that is both rooted in tradition and alive in the present.
Through performance and conversation, the series invites audiences to experience music not simply as entertainment, but as story, memory, cultural expression, and shared human connection.
Join UC San Diego Extended Studies for an inspiring evening with Daneen Wilburn and discover the power of music to heal, inspire, preserve heritage, and bring communities together.
About the Intersections Concert Series
Presented by UC San Diego Extended Studies, the Intersections Concert Series brings exceptional artists and diverse musical traditions to San Diego audiences. Each performance explores the intersections of music, culture, identity, and community through immersive live performances and artist conversations.