Barbara Wright-Pryor: 'I was Duke Ellington's choral director for the 1968 Sacred Concert held in Chicago's Auditorium Theater'

[“This is the photo that was taken during the November 1968 performance of Duke Ellington's Sacred Concert at Chicago's Auditorium Theater. I was Duke's choral director and am seated in the first row, fifth from right.”]

On June 10, 2011 AfriClassical posted: “'Rare signed sheet music by Duke Ellington' at JUNETEENTH exhibit, Terrace Theater, Long Beach June 19.” One of our close associates is Barbara Wright-Pryor, President of the Chicago Music Association, who responded:

“Dear Bill,

Thank you for the blog post on the rare sheet music to be on display in Long Beach. I was Duke Ellington's choral director for the 1968 Sacred Concert held in Chicago's Auditorium Theater and have choral and orchestral scores signed by him. The Maestro signed each of his compositions with that inimitable signature.

Musically yours,

Barbara

Barbara Wright-Pryor

PRESIDENT

Chicago Music Association,

Branch No. 1, NANM Inc. (since 1919)"

Duke Ellington (1899-1874) is profiled at AfriClassical.com. Although best known for composing, leading and performing about 2,000 "big band" jazz pieces, Ellington also composed orchestral, chamber and solo piano works in the classical genre. He began exploring spiritual themes with his Concert of Sacred Music in 1965. Africana Encyclopedia says of the work: "In the Beginning, God, Ellington's opening movement, won a 1966 Grammy Award for best original jazz composition. In 1968 Ellington composed a Second Sacred Concert. At the time of his death he was preparing a third.”