Week 2 || MC Spring 2022 - January
We at Maryville College have had the honor and privilege to host the American Spiritual Ensemble at the Clayton Center this week. We have had class workshops with Dr. John Wesley Wright '87 (Maryville College Alum) and Dr. Angela Owens, 1-on-1 student workshops with Dr. JWW, and a guest lecture from ASE's conductor Dr. Everett McCorvey.
Off-Kilter got the pleasure to work with Wright on Tuesday. Maryville College filmed a portion of the rehearsal, and got to speak with Wright and MC Choral Director, Stacey Wilner!
You can find the video by clicking this link here!
Wednesday, we were greeted by ASE soprano, Dr. Angela Owens. We were able to work with both Owens and Wright, and made great hedge-way on our piece, "Rock-a My Soul" in Concert Choir! The ASE singers helped concert choir with interpreting the style of African-American Spirituals.
Thursday, Owens came to work with the Lassies during their rehearsal, and Wright with the Lads.
(slide 1: Lads with Dr. John Wesley Wright '87, slide 2: Lassies with Dr. Angela Owens, slide 3: ASE panel, slide 4: Dr. Everett McCorvey with Concert Choir)
Friday, was a day to remember, to say the absolute least. We started off our ASE filled week by learning from the professionals, and that is exactly how we ended. We were greeted in our Friday, Noon rehearsal by ASE founder and director, Dr. Everett McCorvey. He gave us wonderful advice on the piece "Hear My Prayer." The American Spiritual Ensemble later dedicated their performance of this song to our choir during their concert.
Friday afternoon, Applied Topics (the music major applied lessons weekly class) hosted an ASE Panel (see above, slide 4.) Students in this course spoke with ASE founder and director, Dr. Everett McCorvey, Maryville College Alum and ASE member, Dr. John Wesley Wright, ASE Soprano and accomplished actor, Dr. Angela Owens, and ASE member and Broadway Vet, Roosevelt "Roo" Credit. (These are just MERE descriptions of the incredible things that these wonderful performers have done, and in no way are we confining them to these few things.) These four multi-talented musicians talked about how they got started as performers, how they came to find ASE and Dr. McCorvey, and then took questions from students in the audience. We learned so much from this group, and I know that we all left that room inspired.
Friday night, the Maryville College Concert Choir got the honor to open the ASE concert with a performance of Rock-a My Soul, arranged by Stacy Gibbs. It was the best performance of that piece (I promise I'm not biased!) and it was such an honor to sing for ASE. After we performed, we got to watch the rest of the concert, and I think that I can speak for the rest of Concert Choir. It was genuinely one of the best concerts that we have been to. Personally, I have been in choir for almost 10 years, and this is in my top 5 concerts that I have ever been to. Hearing a group of people who understand not only the technique of singing, but the amount of emotional and mental techniques that make music as heart-wrenching, joyous, and evoking as it can be. Below, you can see some of the photos of this wonderful night.
(Above Left: American Spiritual Ensemble with Soloist John Wesley Wright; Above Right: Maryville College Concert Choir opening the show.)
From the Maryville College Concert Choir, Off-Kilter, Lads, Lassies, and the choral department staff, we would like to say a warm thank you to the members of the American Spiritual Ensemble for the opportunity to open their show, and for all that they did for us this week. We would also like the thank Dr. Everett McCorvey, Dr. Angela Owens, Dr. John Wesley Wright, and Mr. Roosevelt Credit for their willingness to work with our groups, and participate in our Roundtable Panel Discussion. We were delighted to have Maryville College's own, John Wesley Wright back to work with students, our groups, and perform.
We are honored, and grateful.
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