[John Wesley Work, III (1901-1967); Photo from The Peachite Vol. II, No. 2, Folk Festival Number, March 1944]
The program for this concert indicates selections will include the VocalEssence Chorus in John Wesley Work, III's “Give Me Your Hand” and Rosephanye Powell's “I Dream A World.”
WITNESS – Sweet Honey In The Rock
Philip Brunelle, conductor
Charles Kemper, piano
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 4 pm
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
“A vital and innovative presence in the world’s musical culture, Grammy-nominated a cappella vocal ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock joins the VocalEssence Chorus and conductor Philip Brunelle for an uplifting celebration of hope, love, and justice. Inspired by African American legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey In The Rock mixes blues, spirituals, gospel, African chants, Hip Hop, ancient lullabies, and improvisation to create the soulful harmonies and intricate rhythms that have made them famous.
“Composer, educator, choral director, and ethnomusicologist John Wesley Work III was born on June 15, 1901, in Tullahoma, Tennessee, to a family of professional musicians. His grandfather, John Wesley Work, was a church choir director in Nashville, where he wrote and arranged music for his choirs. Some of his choristers were members of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers. His father, John Wesley Work Jr., was a singer, folksong collector and professor of music, Latin, and history at Fisk, and his mother, Agnes Haynes Work, was a singer who helped train the Fisk group. His uncle, Frederick Jerome Work, also collected and arranged folksongs, and his brother, Julian, became a professional musician and composer.”
1 comment:
I would really like to see Sweet Honey In the Rock again. They deliver a fantastic live performance.
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