AfriClassical: John Malveaux: John Wineglass's 'Someone Else's Child' was highlight of 'An American Portrait' of Southeast Symphony Feb. 8, 2014

Sunday, February 9, 2014

John Malveaux: John Wineglass's 'Someone Else's Child' was highlight of 'An American Portrait' of Southeast Symphony Feb. 8, 2014

John Wineglass,
http://www.johnwineglass.com/newsite/

John Malveaux of www.MusicUNTOLD.com writes:

Southeast Symphony Orchestra

The Southeast Symphony Orchestra program of February 8, 2014 was titled AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT. The concert opened with Duke Ellington Medley, arr. Calvin Custer followed by The Entertainer, Scott Joplin, arr. Richard Sargeant. Trumpeter Courtney Jones was an outstanding selection for the Concerto for Trumpet, Alexsandra Pakhmutova. Pakhmutova was the only European composer on the program. Courtney Jones blowing was effortless, clear, and sunny.

The second half offered compositions with historical and contemporary themes. Jeannie Gayle Pool Ph.D provided a pre-performance talk about the life of Zenobia Powell Perry. Zenobia began composing for orchestra while a student at Wilberforce before the University had an orchestra. Zenobia discovered that most in the community were unaware that Wilberforce was an important station in the Underground Railroad and she worked for many years on an opera about the history of Wilberforce. We heard five movements (Juba, Tawawa House, Jumping Over the Broom, Fire Music, and Sunday Dance Tune) of Suite from Tawawa House by Zenobia Powell Perry, orch. Jeannie Gayle Pool Ph.D.

The unquestionable highlight of the afternoon was the performance of composer John Wineglass's Someone Else's Child with William Allen Young, Narrator. Please see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtX0UhWA0xo. Not only was the music and text deeply engaging, Wineglass has the potential to bring a new and desperately needed audience to the concert hall.

I sat near a group of 15 or so young ladies, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Theta Alpha Omega Chapter Their sponsors selected the concert as a special cultural activity for the ladies. As a group they generally exhibited a courteous reaction throughout the concert and brief moments of appreciation. However, they were all captured almost immediately by Wineglass's Someone Else's Child. Each stood in applauding the performance and did not move until the lights in the auditorium came up to indicate with certainty the concert had ended.

Thanks

John Malveaux