Aural Compass Projects

Born in Chicago, IL in 1913, Margaret Bonds was a composer, pianist, and teacher. Her music ranges from classical to popular, and she has often incorporated jazz influences into her work. Bonds made history when she became the first African American to perform as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1933. Her life has been punctuated by close friendships with such notable individuals as Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes, and renowned composer Florence Price. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Susheel Bibbs, soprano, scholar, and filmmaker Dr. Christine Jobson, soprano, and author Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano, and scholar Taylor-Alexis DuPont, mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano Dr. Marquese Carter, tenor, Murray State University, and President of The International Florence Price Festival Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji, poet, scholar, Duke University Meroë Khalia Adeeb, soprano Resources for further research: Margaret Bonds Song Anthology | https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/Rediscovering-Margaret-Bonds-Art-Songs-Spirituals-Musical-Theater-and-Popular-Songs-CVR5268-401530.html African American Art Song Alliance | https://artsongalliance.org/ Afrocentric Voices | https://afrovoices.com/margaret-bonds-biography/ African Diaspora Project | https://africandiasporamusicproject.org/margaret_bonds Classical Vocal Reprints | https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ Videmus | https://videmus.org/index.php?fwa=aboutus Intro (00:00) Early Life and Training (0:43) Three Dream Portraits (5:07) Langston Hughes and Other Friends (13:30) Popular Music (20:37) He's Got the Whole World in His Hand (22:30) The Negro Speaks of Rivers (27:28) Ending Credits (33:12)

Composer Dr. Adolphus Cunningham Hailstork, was born on April 17th, 1941 in Rochester, New York. He is lauded as a brilliant and prolific composer who truly understands how to write for the voice. Much of his vocal works have been in response to important events and social causes taking place the United States, such as his Opera “Rise for Freedom” about the freeing of enslaved peoples through the Underground Railroad, and “Set Me on a Rock” about Hurricane Katrina for chorus and orchestra, as well as his work “A Knee on the Neck,” Hailstork’s tribute to George Floyd for chorus and orchestra. His rich and intricate writing, coupled with the powerful text and topics he chooses to explore makes him a favorite among professional musicians. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox, soprano and creator of the Dunbar Music Archive Dr. Adolphus Hailstork, composer Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano and scholar Resources for further research: Adolphus Hailstork's Website: https://www.adolphushailstork.com/ African American Art Song Alliance: https://www.artsongalliance.org/composers/adolphus-hailstork Vocal Scores: https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/Art-Songs-with-Sacred-Texts-for-High-Voice-by-Adolphus-Hailstork-401901.html https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/Chamber-Music-Songs-for-Soprano-and-Strings-by-Adolphus-Hailstork-401899.html https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/products/Songs-for-Soprano-and-Harp-by-Adolphus-Hailstork-401898.html Chapters: Intro (0:00) Impressions of Adolphus Hailstork (0:43) Early Life and Education (2:52) Yet Do I Marvel? (8:57) Who is Sylvia? (18:09) On Vocal Writing and Teaching Vocal Writing (21:28) Anthologies of Works by Hailstork for High Voice (24:27) How Hailstork's Writing has Developed Over the Years (27:30) Current Projects 2020-2021 (29:12) My Heart to Thy Heart (33:17) Ending Credits (36:03) EXTRA: Shostakovich Story (36:58)

Born in Erie, PA in 1866, Henry Thacker Burleigh, often referred to as Harry T. Burleigh, played a significant role in the development of American art song, having composed over two hundred works in the genre. He was the first African-American composer acclaimed for his concert songs as well as for his adaptations of African-American spirituals. In addition, Burleigh was an accomplished baritone, a meticulous editor, and a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. CORRECTION OFFERED BY JEAN SNYDER: "Burleigh did not hear Italian tenor Italo Campanini at Elizabeth Russell's home--he hid in the balcony of the Park Opera House all afternoon to hear the evening performance--a very risky thing to do!" Guest speakers include: Meroë Khalia Adeeb, soprano Susheel Bibbs, soprano, scholar, and filmmaker Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano Dr. Marquese Carter, tenor and President of The International Florence Price Festival, and Assistant Professor of Music at Murray State University Patrick Dailey, countertenor and Founding Director of the Harry T. Burleigh Spiritual Festival and Big Blue Opera Initiatives at Tennessee State University Taylor-Alexis DuPont, mezzo-soprano Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji, poet, scholar, Duke University Sidney Outlaw, baritone Dr. Christine Jobson, soprano and author of Florence Price: An Analysis of Select Art Songs with Text by Female Poets Randye Jones, soprano, spiritual scholar, and author of “So You Want to Sing Spirituals” Dr. Shawn Okpebholo, composer Elliott Paige, tenor Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano and scholar Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance: https://www.artsongalliance.org/composers/harry-t-burleigh Harry T. Burleigh: From the Spiritual to the Harlem Renaissance (Biography): https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/catalog/45dsx4pf9780252039942.html Chapters: Intro (0:00) Early Childhood (0:42) More than a Spiritual Arranger (1:43) Education and Training (3:42) Art Songs (6:42) Songs of Laurence Hope (11:34) Other Songs (12:57) Lovely, Dark, and Lonely One (14:10) Negro Spirituals (16:09) Deep River (20:24) Pioneering the Concert Spiritual for Solo Voice (22:26) I've Been in the Storm (31:53) Ending Credits (34:48)

Robert Lee Owens III was born on September 19, 1925 in Denison, Texas. After serving in the army he traveled to Paris where he enrolled at the Ecole Normale de Musique to study with Jules Gentil and Alfred Cortot. At the age of 25, Owens received his Diplome de Perfection for piano and two years later debuted as a concert pianist in Copenhagen, Denmark - where he continued his studies at the Vienna Academy of Music with Grete Hinterhofer. By 1957, Owens had given many concerts throughout Denmark and Austria. In addition to his musical career, Owens established himself as an actor while in Germany. For years he cultivated his skills as a thespian while composing and accompanying singers, many of whom performed his works. Owens maintained residence in Germany until his death in 2017. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Susheel Bibbs, soprano, scholar, and filmmaker Dr. Jamie Reimer, soprano and scholar Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano, and scholar Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance: https://artsongalliance.org/ African Diaspora Music Project: https://africandiasporamusicproject.org/robert_owens Classical Vocal Reprints: https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ 0:00 Intro 0:43 Early Life 03:09 Studies in Paris 04:59 Langston Hughes 06:32 Living in Germany 08:51 Heart on the Wall 11:30 Text Setting 15:05 Musical Influences 19:20 Vocal Works 20:55 "Your face is set against a fervent sky" 24:31 "The Mouse and the Camel" 25:25 "Culture! Culture!" 26:36 Darryl Taylor in conversation with Robert Owens 28:33 "Reve pour l'hiver" 32:25 End Credits

Born in Dayton, OH on June 27th, 1872, Paul Laurence Dunbar was a poet, novelist, and playwright. Dunbar was one of the first African American poets to gain national recognition. As a teenager, he published and edited a The Dayton Tattler newspaper made for West Dayton’s African American community. Dunbar reached a wide audience in his adult years, speaking at numerous conventions, and gaining recognition for his work in such prominent magazines as Harper’s Weekly. Today, Dunbar is acknowledged for being crucial in establishing a voice influential to generations of poets, including those responsible for the blossoming of the Harlem Renaissance. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox, soprano and creator of the Dunbar Music Archive Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji, poet, scholar, Duke University Resources for further research: Dunbar Music Archive: https://ecommons.udayton.edu/dunbar/ Research Guides: https://guides.loc.gov/paul-laurence-dunbar/introduction 0:00 Intro 0:44 Early Life & Vernacular Voice 6:32 Marriage to Alice Ruth Moore 9:54 Standard English Poetry 11:22 Works in Dialect 12:58 Relationship with Samuel Coleridge Taylor 14:28 Influence of Dunbar 17:38 Paul Laurence Dunbar Archive 20:25 "A Negro Love Song" 21:26 "When Malindy Sings" 26:45 Quote from James Weldon Johnson 27:39 Credits

Dave Ragland, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a composer, vocalist, pianist, and conductor. His music is truly a product of his experience; his influences include his upbringing in the Black church, his exposure to jazz from a young age, his work with the Tennessee State Showstoppers, his exposure to Roland Carter, and his family. In 2020, Ragland composed “One Vote Won” - in honor of African American women's suffrage - for Nashville Opera in the first commission of the company’s history. Additionally, Ragland is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Inversion Vocal Ensemble, known to perform a wide range of genres from classical, to contemporary gospel, to jazz standards, and more. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Marquese Carter, tenor, Murray State University, and President of The International Florence Price Festival Shawn Okpebholo, composer Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance: https://artsongalliance.org/ Dave Ragland's Website: http://www.daveragland.com/ Inversion Vocal Ensemble: http://www.inversionsings.com/

Harrison Leslie Adams, better known as H. Leslie Adams, is a composer and pianist, best known for his beautiful and musically complex art songs. He was born in Cleveland, OH in 1932. Adams shows ease in writing for orchestra, chamber ensemble, organ, piano, and chorus, while his treatment of art song is particularly praiseworthy. Important cycles include Nightsongs, with six texts by African-American poets, and The Wider View. Adams is a composer who shows sensitivity for the expressive powers of the vocal instrument. He is listed in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed., International Who’s Who in Music and Musicians; Who’s Who in American Music Classical, and Who’s Who in America. Adams is winner of the “Life Achievement Award” of the Cleveland Arts Prize; “For his career as musician and composer” We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Raehann Bryce-Davis, mezzo-soprano Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo-soprano Patrick Dailey, countertenor and Founding Director of the Harry T. Burleigh Spiritual Festival and Big Blue Opera Initiatives at Tennessee State University Elliott Paige, tenor H. Leslie Adams, composer Resources for further research: American Composers Alliance: https://composers.com/composers/h-leslie-adams African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ H. Leslie Adams Website https://www.hleslieadams.com/ Nightsongs: 1. Prayer Composer: H. Leslie Adams Lyrics: Langston Hughes For You there is No Song - from Five Millay Songs Lyrics: Edna St. Vincent Millay Courtesy of American Composers Edition (BMI)

Pianist, composer, and vocal coach Dr. Jacqueline Hairston was born in 1932 Charlotte, North Carolina. Hairston is a prolific composer who has mastered various genres from spiritual arrangements to contemporary art song. Her works have been performed by the San Francisco Women's Philharmonic, Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir, as well as Metropolitan Opera stars Grace Bumbry, Kathleen Battle, Denyce Graves, and many others worldwide. Hairston’s work and contributions so far have been notable and inspired, enough so to earn - among others - two Living Legend Awards and the Howard Thurman Award. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Susheel Bibbs, soprano, scholar, and filmmaker Dr. Christine Jobson, soprano, and author Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano, and scholar Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Meroë Khalia Adeeb, soprano Patrice Eaton, mezzo-soprano Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ Classical Vocal Reprints https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ Videmus https://videmus.org/index.php?fwa=aboutus

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was an English composer born August 15, 1875 in Croydon, England to Dr. Daniel Peter Hughes Taylor, a Sierra Leonean doctor and Alice Hare Martin an Englishwomen. After graduating from the Royal College, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor earned a solid reputation as a composer having been appointed professor at the Crystal Palace School of Music and conductor of the orchestra at the Croydon Conservatoire. After learning of American spirituals, Coleridge-Taylor began incorporating them into his compositions. One of his most notable uses of the spiritual style was in the cantata, “The Song of Hiawatha” based on the spiritual "Nobody Knows the Trouble I See." Due to run-ins with people like Paul Laurence Dunbar, W.E.B. Du Bois, Frederick J. Loudin, and Mamie Hilyer, Coleridge-Taylor made 3 trips to America. The first in 1904, at the peak of the composer’s popularity, secured a private audience with President Roosevelt at the White House and the second saw the release of his songbook Twenty-Four Negro Melodies. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji, poet, scholar, Duke University Dr. Minnita Daniel-Cox, soprano and creator of the Dunbar Music Archive Dr. Christine Jobson, soprano, and author Wayne Shirley, Music Specialist Emeritus, Music Division at the Library of Congress, on "Onaway! Awake, beloved!” from Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ Classical Vocal Reprints https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ Videmus https://videmus.org/index.php?fwa=aboutus The Longfellow Chorus https://www.longfellowchorus.net Documentary on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: https://youtu.be/HebDy-sLdCs

Undine Eliza Anna Smith Moore was born on August 25, 1904 in Jarratt, Virginia. Her compositional style drew influence from the classical tonal tradition as well as her African-American spiritual heritage. Referring to herself as “a teacher who composes, rather than a composer who teaches”, Smith Moore was honored with the title of “Dean of Black Women Composers,” after cementing herself as one of the more renowned and accomplished black music educators of her time. She championed the inclusion of African-American music in the syllabi of schools and universities, as is evident in music education curriculum throughout the United States. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Taylor-Alexis Dupont, mezzo-soprano Patrice P. Eaton, mezzo-soprano Dr. Tsitsi Ella Jaji, poet, scholar, Duke University Randye Jones, soprano Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano, and scholar Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ African Diaspora Music Project: http://africandiasporamusicproject.org/undinesmith_moore Undine Smith Moore Papers: https://findingaids.library.emory.edu/documents/moore1155/ 0:00 Intro 0:43 Early Life and Training 2:42 Academic Achievements 6:00 Teacher of Camilla Williams 7:35 Accessing Moore's Art Songs 9:52 Love, Let The Wind Cry 15:42 Other Song Settings 17:08 Watch and Pray 22:47 Accolades and Legacy 23:58 I Want to Die While You Love Me 29:19 End Credits

William Grant Still, Jr. was born on May 11, 1895 in Woodville, Mississippi, and is known as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers. After studying at Oberlin College, having taught himself various instruments including piano and voice, he worked as both a player and an arranger for several popular music personalities at the time, including W.C. Handy, Paul Whiteman, and Artie Shaw. This is until starting at the New England Conservatory where he honed his skills in composition. After serving in the U.S. Navy in World War I, he moved to Harlem, New York, where he got acquainted with the influential artists of the Harlem Renaissance. During his time there, his music style became even more diversified. Still’s surviving body of work consisted of almost 200 compositions, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, chamber works, solo instrumental works, choral works, and art songs. Still was able to captivate audiences of a wide variety during his lifetime, becoming a pioneer for African-American composers for years to come. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Randye Jones, soprano, spiritual scholar, and author of “So You Want to Sing Spirituals” Susheel Bibbs, soprano, scholar, and filmmaker Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano and scholar Sidney Outlaw, baritone Judith Still, daughter of William Grant Still Jr., owner of William Grant Still Music Resources for further research: African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ Classical Vocal Reprints https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ William Grant Still Website http://www.williamgrantstillmusic.com/ Complete Songs of Separation with Nicole Heaston and Blair Salter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd3xEGqco4U In One Lifetime - book by Verna Arvey: https://www.biblio.com/9780938626367

Composer, organist, and teacher Florence Beatrice Smith Price was born on April 9, 1887 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Throughout her life, her works were heard in a wide range of platforms, from the WGN radio station and movie theaters, to large halls and major orchestral venues. In 1933 Price’s award winning composition, Symphony in E minor was premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, making it the first composition by a female African-American composer to be performed by a major American orchestra. Price’s lasting legacy was punctuated by her friendship with noted Black composer, Margaret Bonds and her resilience in the face of adversity. We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Christine Jobson, soprano, and author Dr. Marquese Carter, tenor, Murray State University, and President of The International Florence Price Festival Patrick Dailey, countertenor and Founding Director of the Harry T. Burleigh Spiritual Festival and Big Blue Opera Initiatives at Tennessee State University Dr. Louise Toppin, soprano, and scholar Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Musical Selections: Songs to the Dark Virgin: courtesy, Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago (CAIC). Amanda Bottoms, mezzo-soprano and Shannon McGinnis, pianist Filmed October 2, 2020 at Guarneri Hall as part of CAIC’s 2020 Collaborative Works Festival. Sound: Christopher Willis, Video: Mike Grittani. Sympathy: courtesy, Videmus Louise Toppin, soprano and Deborah Hollis, pianist Filmed March 2013 and presented by Videmus and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a Festival celebrating Margaret Bonds centennial of her birth in March of 2012. Night: courtesy, Videmus Darryl Taylor, countertenor and Deborah Hollis, pianist Filmed March 2013 and presented by Videmus and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a Festival celebrating Margaret Bonds centennial of her birth in March of 2012. Additional Listening: My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmEUm4-DqKE Resources for further research: International Florence Price Festival https://www.pricefest.org/ African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ Classical Vocal Reprints https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ Videmus https://videmus.org/index.php?fwa=aboutus

Composer, pianist, and soloist Maria Thompson Corley was born in Jamaica and raised in Canada. She has appeared on radio, television, and/or concert stages in Canada, the United States, Central America, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Europe, both as a solo and collaborative artist, including performances in Budapest at the Liszt Academy, and in Carnegie Recital Hall, Aaron Davis Hall and Alice Tully Hall, all in New York City. She has collaborated with such artists as Metropolitan Opera soprano Priscilla Baskerville, Juno Award-winning clarinetist James Campbell, Grammy-winning clarinetist Doris Hall-Gulati, Grammy-nominated baritone Randall Scarlata, and members of the New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestras. Her performances as soloist with orchestra include engagements with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gunther Schuller. She has also performed with the Philadelphia-based Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra, directed by Jeri-Lynne Johnson. She has both composed and arranged music for both solo voice and chorus, with pieces commissioned and/or recorded by the Florida A&M University Concert Choir, MUSE: Cincinnati’s Women's Choir, the Tallahassee Boys Choir, California State University East Bay, countertenor Darryl Taylor and sopranos Louise Toppin and Randye Jones. Her choral music is published by Walton Music Corporation. Her song cycle Grasping Water has been added to the curricula of courses about art song at University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), Jackdaws Music Education Trust in the U.K., and University of California (Irvine). We, Too, Sing America: African American Voices of Song, is a virtual series created by Aural Compass Projects during their 2020-2021 season. This project is a resource for musicians and music lovers interested in learning through its exploration of 16 African American composers and poets who have contributed to the art song genre. Featuring interviews with modern-day leading performers and scholars of spirituals and African American art song, each episode focuses on a specific composer or poet’s life, influence, and their important works. These episodes are intended to provide an introduction and the tools necessary to continue your own research on each artist. Guest speakers include: Dr. Maria Corley, pianist, educator, writer, composer Dr. Darryl Taylor, countertenor, and founder of African American Art Song Alliance Jordan Pitts, tenor and founder of YAC Tracker Resources for further research: Maria Thompson Corley's website: http://www.mariacorley.com/ African American Art Song Alliance https://artsongalliance.org/ Classical Vocal Reprints https://www.classicalvocalrep.com/ Videmus https://videmus.org/index.php?fwa=aboutus 0:00 Intro 0:43 Impressions of Dr. Corley 2:13 Early Life 5:26 First Compositions & Education 6:57 Arrangements 8:58 Lord, I Want to be a Christian 13:37 Arranger/Composer 15:23 Commissions 16:19 Grasping Water 20:24 Long Goodbye 23:24 Final Thoughts 24:56 Credits

Our educational series on African American composers of song, We, Too, Sing America, premieres on Monday, January 18th with an episode on Margaret Bonds! Margaret Bonds wrote over 50 vocal works, however, only a handful of her pieces were published during her lifetime. Her Three Dream Portraits are probably the most well-known songs written by her and have become a staple in American Art Song repertoire - we wouldn't mind hearing them even more often! Here is a clip of Dr. Marquese Carter describing their favorite moment from the last song of this set, "I, Too." Margaret Bonds episode airs on Monday, January 18 on our YouTube channel! -------------------------------- I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed— I, too, am America.

We, Too, Sing America premieres next week with an episode on Margaret Bonds! We are extremely excited to share all of the wonderful information and insight given from our guest speakers. Margaret Bonds had a long-lasting relationship with Langston Hughes, both personal and professional. They collaborated on all sorts of projects together, from plays to musical theatre to art song. Here’s a short clip of Dr. Louise Toppin talking about Margaret Bonds’ first introduction to Langston Hughes and the impact it had on her. Margaret Bonds episode airs on Monday, January 18 on our YouTube channel!

We had a blast interviewing Judith Still, daughter of William Grant Still, for our upcoming series - We, Too, Sing America! Here’s a short clip of her reminiscing about her childhood and relationship with her father. We’ll have a few more clips for you before the series premiere on January 18! Stay tuned!