[Wayne
Smith (Photo Courtesy of Le Voci Internazionali)]
Wednesday,
February 22, 2012
The
Montclair Times
“Le
Voci Internazionali of Montclair will present a program honoring
African-American heritage on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., at St.
John's Episcopal Church, 55 Montclair Ave. Tenor Wayne Smith is the
featured artist, with soprano Alicia Fink, and Eric Olsen as
accompanist.
“The program
selections are from the Album of Negro Spirituals, arranged for solo
voice by H.T. Burleigh for the Underground Railroad which helped
slaves to escape from the South.” “Other works in the program
are from "Pippin," "Porgy and Bess," and songs
reflective of the African-American culture.
“Tenor Wayne Smith
began performing while attending Upsala College.” “Soprano
Alicia Fink, a registered nurse in the pharmaceutical industry, began
singing in church choirs since childhood and acted in several Rutgers
University productions.” “There is no admission charge, but a
freewill offering for St. John's will be accepted.”
Henry "Harry" Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949) was an African
American composer, arranger and baritone soloist who is profiled at
AfriClassical.com, which features a comprehensive Works List by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma,
http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com. Burleigh was born in Erie, Pennsylvania and died in Stamford,
Connecticut. In his lengthy career, Burleigh wrote 265 vocal works
and made 187 choral arrangements. In 1916 Henry T. Burleigh
published Jubilee Songs of the United
States of America, a book of
arrangements of spirituals for solo vocal performance.
Celebrates
Black History Month with a
Vocal
Recital
February
26th at 4PM
No charge – free will offering for artists
