Michelle Areyzaga Sings African American Composer William Levi Dawson's 'Mary Had A Baby'

[The Spirituals of William L. Dawson; The St. Olaf Choir; Anton Armstrong, conductor; Marvis Martin, soprano; St. Olaf Records 2159 (1997)]

Local groups set for musical kickoff to holiday season

By Bill Gowen

Daily Herald Classical Music Columnist

Published 11/27/2008

DailyHerald.com, Suburban Chicago

“St. Charles Singers: Acclaimed operatic and concert soprano Michelle Areyzaga will be the special guest artist when the St. Charles Singers open their 25th anniversary season with the group's annual 'Candlelight Carols' concerts Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7, in St. Charles and Wheaton.  'With the choral works on the program and audience singalongs between sets, the concert will offer at least 25 songs, one for each of our 25 years,' said Jeffrey Hunt, founder and artistic director of the 30-voice professional chamber choir. 'The program embraces traditional and contemporary carols, including jazz arrangements. Most of the songs - about three-quarters of them - will be new to our repertoire, so audience members can expect to hear a fresh and bracing Christmas program.' The concerts are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles, with two performances on Dec. 7 - 3 p.m., at St. Michael Church, 310 S. Wheaton Ave., Wheaton and 7 p.m. back at Baker Memorial Church.

“Areyzaga, a resident of the Fox River Valley area, will perform as soloist in a special set of six songs for soprano and a cappella choir.” “She will also perform two songs by African-American composers: 'Mary Had a Baby' by legendary 20th century choral director and composer William Levi Dawson; and 'Who Is the Baby?' by Auburn University's Rosephanye Powell. [Full Post] [William Levi Dawson (1899-1990) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]