Timothy W. Holley: 'The Influence of the Negro Spiritual on the Cello Music of African-American Composers' Oct. 11, 4 PM

(Dr. Timothy W. Holley)

Dr. Timothy W. Holley sends us this information on his Faculty Lecture-Recital in response to our request. He says “Please add it to the blogsite. I've visited the site a few times and am amazed to read of the folks out there around the world keeping this tradition alive and well. Thanks very much for your interest and support.”

NCCU.edu
NCCU Centennial Lecture-Recital
Published: Thursday, October 08, 2009
The North Carolina Central University Department of Music presents Dr. Timothy Holley, violoncello, in a faculty lecture-recital titled:
The Influence of the Negro Spiritual on the Cello Music of African-American Composers.
The event is a part of the 2009-2010 Centennial Concert series and will be held Sunday, October 11, 2009, at 4 p.m., in the Recital Hall of the Edwards Music Building. The recital is free and open to the general public. Ed Paolantonio, piano; Maureen Kelly, flute; Grover Wilson, piano; Candace Bailey, piano; Lenora Helm, soprano, and special guest William Trice, tenor, will accompany Holley.

Sunday’s lecture-recital is the second of a series performed in honor of African-American composers. Holley hopes the presentation will shed light on how the Negro spiritual relates to historic music idioms. “There are many well-meaning misperceptions about the Negro spiritual. I wish to educate and possibly dispel some of these misperceptions while celebrating this musical tradition in a program of cello music,” he said. “This recital will continue the tradition of musical excellence that is here now and has preceded me, and further contribute to the centennial celebration of this University.”

Holley’s recent musical recordings include Songs of America (2008), by Oral Moses (bass-baritone and professor of voice at Kennesaw State University), a North Carolina Symphony Orchestra recording—American Spectrum (2009), and a recording of Variations à due by Hale Smith with saxophonist Ira Wiggins, director of NCCU’s Jazz Studies program. Holley also presented the world premiere of Spirit Songs by T.J. Anderson of Chapel Hill, N.C., commissioned by the world-renowned cellist, Yo-Yo Ma.

Holley, a native of Detroit, Mich., has been teaching at NCCU for 13 years. He serves as assistant professor of music and director of the University Honors Program.