Augusta Native Returns Home to Inspire Students Through Music, Faith, and a Legacy of Excellence

AUGUSTA, GA – Paine College is pleased to welcome internationally acclaimed composer, conductor, producer, performing artist, and educator Damien LeChateau Sneed as the featured guest speaker for its Holiday PRIDE Forum on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel.

An Augusta native whose extraordinary career has taken him from the Black church to some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls and stages, Sneed brings a remarkable story of faith, perseverance, artistic excellence, and achievement to the Paine College community.

An Emmy and Dove Award-winning artist, Sneed has established himself as a dynamic force in classical music, gospel, jazz, and the performing arts. Throughout his distinguished career, he has collaborated with legendary entertainers and musicians, including Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Wynton Marsalis, Jessye Norman, and numerous other internationally recognized artists.

A graduate of Howard University, Sneed also completed a master’s program at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and pursued doctoral studies in orchestral conducting at the University of Southern California. He currently serves as a tenured associate professor at Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts and Director of Music for the university’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel.

Among his many accomplishments, Sneed is the founder and artistic director of Chorale Le Chateau, an internationally recognized professional vocal ensemble. His work has been featured in major productions, including the Emmy-winning PBS documentary Everyone Has a Place, BET’s Sunday Best, and Wynton Marsalis’s Abyssinian Mass: A Gospel Celebration.

In April 2025, his composition Reflections of Resilience: Five Spirituals received its world premiere at Carnegie Hall. His artistic contributions also include a commission from Washington National Opera for a newly orchestrated adaptation of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, which premiered in March 2026.

Sneed’s return to Augusta offers Paine College students a unique opportunity to hear from a hometown success story whose journey exemplifies the power of education, faith, discipline, and determination. His diverse accomplishments across music, education, ministry, and cultural leadership reflect the values of excellence, service, and purpose that Paine College seeks to instill in its students.

The Holiday PRIDE Forum will provide an opportunity for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members to celebrate the season while being inspired by Sneed’s experiences and insights.

Event Details

WHAT: Paine College Holiday PRIDE Forum featuring Damien LeChateau Sneed
WHEN: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel, Paine College, Augusta, Georgia
WHO: Damien LeChateau Sneed, Emmy- and Dove Award-Winning Composer, Conductor, Producer, Performing Artist, and Educator

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES: Members of the media are invited to cover the Holiday Pride Forum, capture event footage and photographs, and highlight Sneed’s return to his hometown.