Eric Conway (L) and Issachah Savage (R)
Dr. Eric Conway writes:
A
few weeks ago, I sent notice of a LIVE concert given by Morgan alumnus
and former choir member Issachah Savage. Last night, I attended his
concert and it was spectacular! The concert was sold-out! Everyone who
attended of course wore masks and were appropriately spaced out
throughout the venue. The outdoors concert was presented in the
courtyard of Classical Movements,
the company responsible for organizing the Morgan choir’s international
trips over the years in Alexandria, VA. Issachah happened to travel
with his Morgan choir back in 2009 during our first tour with Classical Movements when
we toured South Africa for the very memorable Ihlombe Choral Music
Festival, which was mentioned during the concert by the company
president Neeta Helms during her introductory remarks.
Issachah programed some of his most beloved songs including “La Serenata” by Tosti, an aria from Wagner’s Die Walküre,
and two Margaret Bonds favorites: "I, Too" based on Langston Hughes
famous poem with the same title, and the spiritual "You Can Tell the
World”. Issachah is certainly a world-class talent, with a majestic
voice and an exceptional ability to communicate with his audience,
however last night, there was an urgency in each note that he sang, as
though he needed this experience of being on the stage and sharing his
craft.
All
who attended, also seemed to long for the spiritual experience of LIVE
music making. You see I capitalize LIVE as though this were a rare
event — which it indeed is during these COVID times! All who attended
were mesmerized and transported off to another far off place, albeit
momentarily, during the concert. I predict that post our pandemic, live
performance will return with a vengeance. I predict, those who took
the arts for granted, with the almost six-month hiatus that we have had
already, are yearning for the experience of live music once again. Even
though it rained at times during the concert, the droplets in the air
made the concert even that more memorable!
In
two weeks, on Saturday, August 29th, at 6 and 7:30PM, recent graduate
Alexandria Crichlow will be a featured soloist on the Classical
Movements series, accompanied by current Voice faculty member Lester
Green. If you are interested in attending, you should acquire your
ticket right away at: www.classicalmovements.com/secretgardenconcerts/
See
attached Issachah’s program that he shared with pianist Joy Schreier,
who accompanied Issachah masterfully and also played solos of her own.
Also see some photos taken after the event, when I was reunited with
Issachah. We briefly reminisced about our South African adventure in
2009, which prompted me to search for some photos and video from our
perhaps most memorable international tour. Please see attached photos
and links.
Eric
Very rough recording of an encore from the concert: “Without a Song!”
Snippet at South African Choral Festival:
Video with little children in South Africa:
Video of street entertainers who were contortionists:
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