UMS Concert Program, November 11, 1993: Albert Mcneil Jubilee Singers --

Season: 115th
Concert: Sixteenth
Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

University Musical Society
Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers
Albert J. McNeil, Director-Founder
Virginia White, Administrator Byron Smith, Larry Farrow, Accompanists
Charlotte Neveu, Yvonne Farrow, Choreography
Cheryl Ascione Ralph Pettiford
Bradley Baker Michele Sorel
Carl Bell Marc Summers
Celeste Bembry Tommie Webb
Anne Dunn Virginia White
Cheryl Fox Michael Wright
Lisa Gray-Ashley Richard Wyatt
Thursday Evening, November 11, 1993 at 8:00 Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM I
SPIRITUALS
Rocka My Soul......................arr. Howard Roberts
Ralph Pettiford, Carl Bell, Basses
Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round ............arr. Phil Mclntyre
Michael Wright, Tenor
Bradley Baker, Tommie Webb, Baritones
Crossin' Ovah ........................Richard Jackson
Cheryl Fox, Soprano
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah ...................arr. Lena McLin
Bradley Baker, Baritone
O Mary Don't You Weep..................arr. Albert McNeil
Celeste Bembry, Soprano
Cheryl Ascione, Anne Dunn, Altos
You Must Have That True Religion ..............arr. Roland Carter
Lisa Gray-Ashley, Soprano
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot ..................air. Larry Farrow
Virginia White, Contralto
Ezekiel Saw The Wheel ..................arr. William Dawson
CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN-AMERICAN GOSPELS
Try Jesus.............................Robert Ray
Celeste Bembry, Soprano Michael Wright, Tenor
Large print programs are available from your usher. Sixteenth Concert of the 115th Season 23rd Annual Choice Series
Worthy To Be Praised ......................Byron Smith
Cheryl Ascione, Alto
INTERMISSION
II AFRICAN AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOLK SONGS
Tataleo (Ghana, Ga) ...................arr. Jester Hairston
Richard Wyatt, Tenor
Umngoma (Zulu) ....................arr. Caiphus Cemanya
Women's Ensemble and Larry Farrow
Virginia White, Contralto
Marry a Woman Uglier Than You (Calypso)..........arr. Leonard de Paur
Richard Wyatt, Tenor
Travelin' Man (Southern) .................arr. Jester Hairston
Michael Wright, Tenor Tommie Webb, Baritone
World Goin' Down (Urban Blues) ..............Arthur Cunningham
Lisa Gray-Ashley, Soprano Virginia White, Contralto
AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE
From Carmen Jones ....................Bizet-Hammerstein
Dat's Love
Michele Sorel, Soprano Stand Up and Fight
Marc Summers, Bradley Baker, Baritones
From Porgy and Bess .....................George Gershwin
A Woman Is a Sometime Thing
Richard Wyatt, Tenor It Ain't Necessarily So
Tommie Webb, Bass
Michael Wright, Tenor I'm On My Way
Ralph Pettiford, Bass
Ellingionia (A Medley) .....................Duke Ellington,
Lisa Gray-Ashley, Soprano arr. Larry Farrow
Virginia White, Alto
Michael Wright, Tenor
Tommie Webb, Ralph Pettiford, Basses
CONCERT PIECES
Heleylooyuh .........................James Furman
There's A City Called Heaven...................Robert Page
Celeste Bembry, Cheryl Fox, Sopranos
SPIRITUALS
Wasn't That a Mighty Day ...............arr. John Wesley Work
Michael Wright, Richard Wyatt, Tenors
I Been in the Storm So Long ...............arr. Robert DeCormier
Michele Sorel, Soprano
Walk Together Children .................arr. Wm. Henry Smith
Cheryl Fox, Lisa Gray-Ashley, Sopranos Cheryl Ascione, Alto
Oh Happy Day (Jazz-Gospel) .................arr. Larry Farrow
Virginia White, Contralto
The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers performance is made possible by arrangement with Harold Shaw, Shaw Concerts, Inc., 1900 Broadway, New York, NY 10023
About The Artists
The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, a traveling company of 14, a resident group of 33, has garnered international acclaim and focused worldwide attention on the vast body of folk music termed "Afro-American." They have become one of America's finest exponents of the rich and vital body of music that is such an integral part of the Black experience.
Twenty-five years ago, the Singers undertook their first European tour. Today, after 16 sold-out European tours, 8 tours of the United States, tours of the Middle and far East, Africa and South America, they are among the most honored singing ensembles in the world. They were selected three times to serve the U.S. State Department and USIS Cultural Exchange Program in areas of the world including East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Iran, India and the United Arab Emirates.
Founder-Director Albert McNeil is well-known to the national choral community, having been honored on two occasions with "Command Performances" before the prestigious
American Choral Directors Association in 1981 in New Orleans and in 1985 at their Salt Lake City Convention. The singers were headliners at the First Choral Festival in Jaffe (Yafo), Israel, in April 1988. In 1989, they were honored to perform with the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The program was aired by CBS Radio and Television. They have had collaborative concerts with the Dale Warland Singers, Chanticleer, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, and Pro Musica of El Paso. In the Summer of 1992, the Singers made their first Far East Tour of Hong Kong (Cultural Center Concert Hall), Taiwan, six concerts including a gala performance in the National Concert Hall in Taipei, and six concerts in Japan. Travelling over 15,000 miles, the Singers went on to Spain to complete concerts at the XXIII Semana de Musica de Camara in Segovia, in the Real Coliseo Carlos III in El Escorial, performing not only their regular fare of spirituals but the Siglo de Oro Espafiol (Renaissance music of Victoria and Morales). The one week "command performances" included performances in Miraflores, Las Rozas, Montserrat and Valencia. Over 30,000 miles in seven weeks!
During the Winter of 1993, the Singers completed a six-week tour of Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland and Luxembourg and culminated their Winter Concert Season with a performance in the Auditorium of Ambassador College, Pasadena, California.
Tonight's concert marks their Ann Arbor debut.