Howard University Choir gives standing ovation performance

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

At 6 p.m., three quarters of the pews at the Stella Maris Roman Catholic Church were already filled. The concert was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. The performers were the Howard University Choir along with their conductor and Professor of Music, Dr J. Weldon Norris, in the first of three concerts.

The performance was of a high standard and demonstrated beautifully textured voices and good control of musical notes, served with a sprinkling of humour.

It was therefore no surprise that a member of the Sunday audience described the event as "Refreshing". And, for Monsignor Michael Lewis, rector of the Shortwood Road-based church, the concert was "Absolutely wonderful." He had heard the group perform before and had no problem exposing his flock to other forms of music.

Nine-year-old Lucy Heron-Thomas "liked the last set of songs best." Her comment was in reference to the songs dubbed 'American Spiritual' and 'Work Songs'. It was evident that the other members of the congregation felt likewise as, at the conclusion of each, they used voices to demonstrate their appreciation.

Amusing narrative

The first song in American Spiritual and Work Songs was one of Hall Johnson's arranged Keep A-Inchin' Along and performed by the male members of the choir. Putting away the folders used for most of the programme, the men sang of a slow conversion to Christianity and received the first voiced response for the evening.

Then they had the audience laughing to I Got A Mule (arranged by Johnson), a work song, with an amusing narrative that describes a man who has a mule called Jerry, and has a girl whom he describes as 'not pretty but dresses fine'. It was also performed with movements.

Marry a Woman Uglier than You, with its 'calypso tune' (explained Norris) was more engaging as the soloist moved through the aisle. And in the Negro Spirituals, I've Been 'Buked, Soon Ah Will Be Done and the Norris-arranged Lord I Done, not only captured the richness of the slave lament but an expression of beautiful harmony. The choir concluded the programme with a stirring performance of the Thomas Kerr-arranged Plenty Good Room. And, as they took their curtain call, the audience rose to its feet in ovation.

However, the 22 members of mixed discipline began the programme with James Weldon Johnson's song of hope titled Lift Ev'ry Voice. Before singing Alleluia, they performed Freidrich Douglas' When I can Read My Title Clear, arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker.

The programme also included two works of Nathaniel Dett. The magnificently delivered Listen to the Lambs and As By the Streams of Babylon. Both were included in the repertoire as tributes to Barack Obama who is the first African-American President. Like Mr Obama, the songs were the first African-American anthem and the first song to be composed by an African-American with a motet.

Other selections were Samuel Barber's love song Reincarnations, Opus 16 and another Shaw/Parker arrangement Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal.

The concert was the first in a series of three titled The Howard University Jamaican Concert Tour, organised by the Embassy of the United States of America. The Northern Caribbean University Mandeville, and the University of the West Indies (UWI, Mona) are the venues for the remaining two concerts.

Additionally, the choir will engage in workshops at schools. And it is these workshops that Conductor Norris is looking forward to the most.

It is worth noting that Norris, who has travelled extensively, has the distinction of performing at every US President's inauguration since 1974. And, while there are no Jamaicans in the present choir, a number of Jamaicans have attended the Washington DC-based university. Among them is Member of Parliament John Junor. He told The Gleaner at a reception held in honour of the choir that "Howard is always renown for its music and musicians." But, whereas he was not a member of the choir, he was into the dramatic arts.

Today, the choir will travel to the NCU for an afternoon performance at the University's Gymnatorium, while tomorrow the choir will perform at the University Chapel on the Mona campus. All performances are free and open to the public.