- Good evening, my friends. Good evening, good evening, and welcome. I'm Dr. Raymond Wise, Executive Director
- of the African American Arts Institute, and it's truly my honor to greet you tonight as we gather for
- this special installment of our spring concert series featuring the African American Choral Ensemble,
- affectionately known as ACE. Now tonight, we celebrate more than just a concert. We celebrate a legacy.
- 50 years of excellence in African-American and choral music, for over five decades, ACE has lifted its
- voice in song, preserved sacred and cultural traditions, and created a space of belonging, learning,
- and artistic excellence for students at Indiana University. As one of the first collegiate ensembles
- in the nation to offer credit-bearing courses dedicated to the performance of choral music
- by African-American composers, this moment stands as a testament to vision, to legacy, and to love expressed
- through the arts.
- We're deeply grateful for the many individuals and partners who've made this work possible. So we acknowledge
- our home, the Neal Marshall Black Culture Center, and our academic partner, the Department of African
- American and African Diaspora Studies, under which our ensembles are housed as courses. And we also
- extend our sincere thanks to the College of Arts and Sciences for their support during this important
- transitional year. We're also grateful to the Jacobs School of Music,
- the IU Alumni Association to the many members of our community who believe in and still support the
- arts. We thank theater, drama, and contemporary dance staff for welcoming us into this space tonight.
- And of course, our dedicated African American Arts Institute staff, including especially Jerrica Stocker,
- Johnny Campbell, and their teams for their tireless work.
- We also want to recognize our production staff tonight, Lori, Garrity, Mike Schwant, Jeremy Hogan, Zai
- Robertson, Jalea Wiggins, Darren Collins, Peyton Womack, and all those who've been helping to bring
- this effort to life. As we celebrate 50 years, we say to our students,
- who represent many majors, backgrounds, and identities, we say thank you to the students. And though
- these are students, they perform at a level of passion and professionalism that inspires us all. Then
- to our alumni, we thank you for carrying the legacy forward. To our founders and our directors, we thank
- you for your vision. To our families and our friends, we thank you for your love and your support. And
- to all of you, our community, we thank you for showing up, because you didn't have to come, but you did.
- and your presence matters. Now, as we gather tonight, we do so with the understanding that the arts,
- particularly the black arts, must continue to be supported, protected, and sustained. Music has always
- been a vital pathway through which African Americans have told their stories, expressing joy and sorrow,
- building community, and affirming identity. And that is what we've come to do tonight, to celebrate,
- to remember, and to continue a legacy. Now, if you feel moved
- to support this work beyond tonight, we invite you to engage with us through our ongoing initiatives,
- including our Just One campaign. And by exploring our merchandise and commemorative items, you can look
- at page 10 and 11 in your program book and know that every contribution will help in some way to continue
- this legacy for future generations. Now, at this time, we ask again that you please silence any devices
- that may emit sound or light so that we can all fully share in this experience together. And now we
- begin our journey.
- Tonight's program opens on the continent of Africa, specifically in South Africa, where music has been
- a source of strength, unity, and resilience. The opening selection, Shosholosa, is a traditional folk
- song made famous by laborers who sang as they worked in the mines. It's drawn from a blend of Zulu and
- Ndebele. Its message is both simple and profound. Keep moving forward. It's a song of perseverance,
- of pressing through hardship, of hope on the horizon.
- And in its rhythms, you can hear not only the sound of a train, but the steady heartbeat of a people
- moving forward together. So now we invite you to experience the spirit, the rhythm, and the joy of the
- African American Choral Ensemble. Welcome and enjoy the celebration.
- I'm a doctoral student in the Jacobs School of Music, and I'm from South Africa. For the past year,
- I've had the opportunity to serve as the vocal coach for the African American Choral Ensemble. During
- this time, I've had the opportunity to work on vocal technique with the ensemble. In addition, I taught
- Ace a song from my home country that is very meaningful to me. Tonight, we are going to share that song
- It is titled, Go Sisipe'a Amandla, which means, God give us strength. Ogu pumelela, to succeed.
- Enjele nietu, in our journey. Siso pumelela, umawenukona, we will succeed if you are present with us.
- Enjoy. Go Sisipe'a Amandla.
- Thank you, Lange. Good evening again. Greetings. I'm Dr. Raymond Wise, director of the African American
- Choral Ensemble. And we're honored to welcome you to this celebration of song tonight. And as usual,
- you know that African American music is a collective art. So we invite you to join in the celebration
- if you're so moved. Feel free to sing along, clap along, rock along, dance along, and even shout hallelujah
- or sing choir. We just want you to know that there is hope. And together,
- We will strive for freedom, for liberty and justice, and we can emerge from this place encouraged and
- determined to make it one song at a time. This evening's program reflects a broad spectrum
- of African-American choral traditions, and we continue celebrating our 50th anniversary. We
- have intentionally curated selections that represent both the historic repertoire of the ensemble and
- the standard works that have shaped the choral tradition more broadly. The majority of these students
- you see before you are not music majors. They simply love to sing.
- They are enrolled in a credit-bearing course that allows them to come together from across all different
- disciplines, and they're bringing together their voices, their passion, and their commitment to create
- something meaningful and shared. And as we now move from the African continent into African-American
- experiences, we now encounter the spiritual. A genre born out of struggle, yet deeply rooted in hope,
- and these songs are far more than music. They were expressions of faith, resistance, and survival. They
- carry coded messages,
- profound theology, and an unshakable belief that freedom in some form would eventually come.
- So even today, they remind us of where we have been and challenge us to consider where we are going.
- So we began this portion of our program with concert spirituals. Each selection tells a story,
- some familiar, others not so familiar, but all speak to the ending and enduring journey from a hardship
- to hope, from earth to glory, from bondage to freedom,
- So we invite you to listen, to reflect, and to experience these powerful narratives with us. Enjoy.
- Spirituals have long been understood as layered expressions of faith, resistance, and communal memory,
- songs that openly conveyed biblical narratives while simultaneously encoding messages of survival, hope,
- and defiance for enslaved African Americans. These works were not only declarations of belief and divine
- liberation, whether in heaven or through escape to the north,
- but also subtle forms of protest that gave voice to the oppressed and affirmed a deep expectation of
- eventual justice. Within this tradition, poor man Lazarus stands as a particularly powerful example.
- Drawing from the parable in the Gospel of Luke, this song recounts the story of the rich man Diabes
- and the impoverished Lazarus who lay at his gate and survived on crumbs from the table. In death, their
- fortunes reversed.
- Lazarus is carried into eternal rest while the rich man finds himself in torment, pleading for even
- a drop of water to ease his suffering. For those who first sang this spiritual, the narrative was far
- more than allegory. It was a profound assertion that inequities of this world are neither permanent
- nor unseen. Poor man Lazarus ultimately reminds us that the overlooked may yet be honored and that justice,
- though delayed, is not denied.
- In a world where questions of fairness and human dignity persist, its message remains strikingly relevant.
- Every life carries inherent value, and how we treat one another matters. Enjoy, poor man Lazarus.
- Innocent Lamb, a Negro spiritual arranged by Marshall Bartholomew, emerges from a rich tradition in
- which spirituals functioned as both sacred expression and subtle resistance. These songs carried layered
- meanings, proclaiming devotion to God while also offering enslaved African Americans a voice of agency,
- endurance, and hope that their faith and labor would not be in vain. At its core, this spiritual presents
- the image of the lamb as a symbol of purity, humility, and steadfast devotion.
- The innocent lamb represents the true believer, one who commits to serving faithfully until death, standing
- in sharp contrast to the hypocrite or false servant, whose outward declarations are betrayed by their
- actions. Despite adversity, opposition, or the presence of evil, the lamb continues along the path of
- righteousness, sustained by the promise of a heavenly home. Crucially, the spiritual affirms that the
- lamb's faithfulness is not without reward. The believer will inherit heaven
- a place where there is no more dying and where joy is everlasting. This assurance of divine vindication
- offered profound comfort and resolve for those who earthly lives were marked by suffering and injustice.
- For those who first sang it, this was not merely a song, but a moment of reflection and moral inquiry.
- Which path am I walking? In its quiet strength,
- Little Innocent Lamb invites us to consider integrity, perseverance, and compassion in our own lives,
- even amid a world that often feels unyielding. Enjoy Little Innocent Lamb. Little lamb, little lamb,
- little innocent lamb, I'm not gonna serve God till I die. Little lamb, little lamb, little innocent lamb,
- I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve God till
- I die. I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve God
- till I die. I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve God till I die. I'm not gonna serve
- God till I die.
- selection is in bright mansions above arranged by Roland Carter. This beloved African-American spiritual
- expresses a deep longing for heaven as a place of freedom, abundance, and comfort, a striking contrast
- to the harsh realities of enslavement. Rooted in John 14-2, I go to prepare a place for you. The song
- proclaims the purpose of a dignified and eternal home prepared by Christ for those who love and follow
- him. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the African-American choral ensemble,
- so many have passed on, including several of our esteemed directors, Dr. Michael Gordon, John Williams,
- and Dr. James Mumford. Even more former members of ACE have gone on. Based on the legacy of spirituals,
- one can imagine that they've found an eternal home in heaven about which they sung for many years. Tonight,
- we can imagine that those who have gone before us are resting in that eternal home, living in bright
- mansions above, where they received their promised reward of a mansion in the sky, a robe, and crown.
- As we sing, we invite those who are able to hold up your phone lights in honor of the ones who have
- paved the way, who sang before us, led before us and now rest from their labor. May this offering be
- both our tribute and our promise to carry their light forward.
- In my father's house. In my father's house. There are many mansions. There are many mansions. There
- are many mansions. There are many mansions. There are many mansions. There are many mansions. There
- are many mansions. There are many mansions.
- In my father's house. In my father's house. In my father's house. In my father's house. In my father's
- house. In my father's house. In my father's house. In my father's house. In my father's house. In my
- father's house. There are many mansions. There are many mansions. There are many mansions. There are
- many mansions. There are many mansions. There are many mansions.
- There are many measures if it were not so.
- This next election, hold on just a little while longer, is a contemporary arrangement by Brian Black
- II. Yet it stands firmly within the enduring tradition of the spiritual, carrying forward a message
- that has sustained generations, that despite trials, persecution, and uncertainty, victory, peace, healing,
- and wholeness will come, whether in this life or in the life to come. The imperative to hold on is not
- merely poetic. It is deeply theological.
- Scholars such as Nicholas Cooper Letter and Henry H. Mitchell in their work, Soul Theology, describe
- how African Americans cultivated a liberating faith rooted in what they call soul affirmations. These
- affirmations proclaimed the equality of all persons, the uniqueness and giftedness within each individual,
- the unity of the human family under God, and the perseverance of the human spirit. At the heart of this
- theology is a powerful conviction. If you hold on,
- You can make it through anything. And so they sang through everything. Through suffering and uncertainty,
- song became both refuge and resistance, a way to affirm dignity, sustain hope, and declare that their
- lives had meaning and worth. That message remains urgent even now. In a world that often feels fractured
- and weary, we are reminded of the necessity of reclaiming songs that restore hope and affirm our shared
- humanity. Hold on just a little while longer.
- calls us to keep walking, to remain steadfast, and to trust in due season, all will be made right. This
- evening, we are honored to feature Tshai Bean as soloist and to welcome Dr. Black himself to lead this
- performance. May this music encourage you. Hold on and do not let go.
- We're so proud of this young man here. We've been seeing and watching him grow and grow and do great
- things. He's now Director of Coral Activities right up the road at DePaul University. So we're glad,
- thankful that you came down tonight to share with us, and we look forward to many more collaborations.
- Thank you, my brother. Let's give him another hand.
- How many of you, or for whom, this is the first time at an ACE concert? Experience, we have any first
- timers here? All right, I see we got some first timers here. Now, how many of you have never been to
- a concert where they sing gospel music before?
- All right, I see a couple hands out there. All right, good. Well, you know, most African-American music,
- especially gospel music, is what we call a collective art. So that means you get to participate, right?
- So you need to know you have permission to participate. So as we sing through, you're going to see us
- moving and rocking and clapping and doing all these things in special ways. But everybody is invited
- to be a part of the celebration. And we want you to rock with us. We want you to clap with us. We want
- you to pat your feet. We want you to sing.
- all those things you're invited to do. So what we're going to do is we're going to give you a few tools
- to fully enjoy the experience. So everybody who can stand up in body or in spirit, stand up wherever
- you are. All right. So what you notice, you notice when we're rocking, of course we rock, but there
- was a method to the madness. You're just not kind of moving. It's not magic how you get there. There
- was a method. So if we're in four-four timing and you have four beats, one, two, three, four, you go
- to the right on beat one and to the left on beat three.
- All right, so let's see if we can try the rock and see if the drummer can help us out. One, two, three,
- give me a beat, and one. All right, so remember, we're gonna go to the, hey, good to see you, Dante.
- We're gonna go to the right on one and to the left on three, ready? And here we go, and one, two, three,
- four, one, two, three, four. So step together, step together, step together, step together. All right,
- looks like you got the rocking going right now.
- The next thing you're gonna need to do is you're gonna need to clap. But before you start clapping,
- now note that in the gospel tradition, we use what's called syncopation. So you don't clap on the strong
- beats. You don't go one, three. You don't do that. You clap on the weak beats, which are two and four.
- So we're gonna clap on two and four. Can you do that with me? Ready, here we go. And one, two, three,
- four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. A little bit.
- Faster and a one, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. A little bit faster
- and a one, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. A little bit faster and a
- one, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. A little
- bit faster and a one, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.
- Three, four, slow it down. And one, two, three. All right, you got rockin' and you got clappin'. Now
- the next thing you gotta do is you gotta have some singin'. You know you can't come to a gospel concert
- and not sing. So, I'm gonna make up something, right? We're gonna do what's called call and response.
- I'm gonna sing something and you sing it back, okay? That's called lead repeat, but I'm gonna need the
- musicians to help me out. Can you give me some music here? Can I have a little bit more of that sound
- of the piano, Brother Johnny?
- Here we go. Are you ready?
- Ready? We're going to go. Hold on. Hold on. Keep on holding on. Hold on. Hold on. Keep on holding on.
- Watch and try it. Hold on. Hold on. Keep on holding on.
- Hold on, keep on holding. Hold on, hold on. Hold on, keep on holding on.
- Let me hear you.
- Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold it on. Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold on, you got to hold on.
- Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold it on. Let me hear you base it. Hold on, you got to hold on.
- Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold it on. Let me hear you base it.
- Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold on, you got to hold on. Hold on, you got to hold on. All right. Let's
- put it all together.
- The pranos are going to start. We'll add the alto. We'll add the tenors. We'll add the bass. And I hope
- you remember what we made up, because I don't remember. Pranos, ready? Here we go. Here's the pranos.
- Keep going. Keep the pranos singing.
- induct you to the Gospel Concert Attendee Societies with all rights and privileges to rock, to clap,
- to sing, to enjoy yourself fully. Celebrate with us and keep on holding on. Enjoy. Now, there are several
- different African-American sacred genres. In fact, there are seven. There's psalmody, line singing,
- shape note singing, spirituals,
- hymnody, gospel songs, and the standard classical art forms in which African Americans compose. Now,
- while many African American songs are created spontaneously through improvisation, there are some songs
- that are formally composed and intended to be performed in the European choral style. Dr. Marcus Garrett
- refers to these pieces as non-idiomatic pieces, but unbeknownst to many African Americans and those
- of African descent, many
- people of African descent have studied and composed and performed Western classical art music since
- the 15th century. So now let's enjoy a few formerly composed works. And the next several pieces are
- going to be formerly composed works by three African American female composers. Enjoy.
- Our next election, Wait on the Lord, by distinguished composer, Josefine Pau, draws inspiration from
- the endearment words of Psalm 2714. Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage, in
- the prophetic assurance of Isaiah, which reminds us that those who trust in God shall renew their strength.
- To wait in this context is not passive or idle, rather is an active discipline posture of faith, one
- that calls for confidence, trust, and hope in God's timing, even when circumstances feel uncertain.
- And yet, we live in a world that resists waiting. We're conditioned for immediacy. Waiting in lines,
- at stoplights, or in traffic often tests our patience in even the smallest ways. How much more difficult,
- then, is the deeper waiting required in life's most challenging seasons? This spiritual reflection invites
- us to reconsider waiting not as a delay, but as preparation, as a space where strength is renewed,
- perspective is deepened, and faith is refined. It encourages us to resist fear and anxiety, and instead
- to trust that in due time,
- What is needed will be provided. So as you listen, may you be encouraged, hold on, be strong, and trust
- the process.
- Go.
- is an iconic anthem by renowned composer Lena MacLenn entitled Let the People Sing Praise unto the Lord.
- Rooted in the exuberant language of Psalm 150, this work calls all people to lift their voices
- and instruments in joyful praise. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise him with the psaltery
- and harp. Praise him with everything that has breath. This is not a quiet or reserved moment. This is
- an invitation to celebration.
- The psalmist paints a vibrant soundscape where music becomes a vehicle of gratitude and praise becomes
- a communal act of joy. At the heart of it all is the word hallelujah, a timeless expression meaning
- praise the Lord, a declaration that transcends circumstance and unites voices across generations. So
- as you listen, allow yourself to be drawn into the spirit of praise, feel the energy, the rhythm, and
- call to rejoice. The performance will feature Andrew Downs on piano and Joslyn Swartz on trumpet.
- adding brilliance and vitality to this already powerful anthem. Let everything that has praised the
- Lord, hallelujah.
- selection, Striving After God, was composed by the incomparable Undyne Smith Moore, affectionately known
- as the Dean of Women Composers, a pioneering voice in American choral music, Dr. Moore shared a meaningful
- and lasting relationship with the African American Choral Ensemble. She completed a residency with the
- ensemble under the direction of Melanie Burnham and was featured in the television broadcast, Black
- Creative Arts Up Close. Through Indiana University and African American Choral
- Arts Institute in 1979. Her legacy also lives through mentorship. She taught and guided two ace conductors
- at Virginia State, Michael Gordon and James Munford, shaping generations of choral leadership. Striving
- After God became one of the signature works and has been performed throughout many eras of the ensemble's
- history. The text is drawn from the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo,
- to believe that artistic creation was a sacred act. For Michelangelo to strive for perfection in art
- was to reach toward God himself. He wrote, for those who feel it, nothing makes the soul so religious
- and pure as the endeavor to create something perfect. For God is perfection and whoever strives after
- it is striving after something divine. In that spirit of devotion, excellence, and divine pursuit, we
- now invite you to experience the African American Choral Ensemble as they present Striving After God.
- The next selection in the Name of Music by Victor C. Johnson is a radiant celebration of the transformative
- power of song. At its core, this work reminds us that music is far more than sound. It is a vessel through
- which we experience wonder, memory, and the full range of human experience. Through its text, we are
- invited to sing of breathtaking beauty, the quiet glow of moonlight, the brilliance of a sunrise, and
- the vastness of stars scattered across the night sky. But just as importantly, we are called to lift
- our voices in celebration of life's most tender and joyful moments.
- the laughter of children, the innocence of youth, and the melodies that warm the heart and stay with
- us across a lifetime. Music has a unique ability to connect us, to stir the soul, to inspire hope, and
- to bring joy into the world, even in the midst of uncertainty. It gives voice to what words alone cannot
- express and reminds us of our shared humanity. So tonight, we sing not just for ourselves, but in the
- name of music itself, celebrating its beauty, its power, and its enduring gift. Enjoy in the name of music.
- question, what keeps people singing for 50 years? What sustains an ensemble across generations? What
- has kept ACE lifting its voice through every season? It's the song. The song is a gift to the human
- spirit. For enslaved Africans in America, song was survival. They believed that if you kept a song in
- your heart, you can make it through anything. So they sang through sorrow, they sang through struggle,
- and they sang through hope. Song was central
- in Africa, and it remains central here in America. There is something about singing that moves the heart,
- steadies the soul, and lifts the spirit beyond circumstance. This next selection, the gift of song composed
- by Dr. Raymond Wise, celebrates that very power. Blending multiple musical styles, it reminds us why
- we sing and what singing gives back to us. The words declare, I find peace, I get joy. When I lift my
- voice in song,
- When the words and melodies fill my heart, I'm encouraged to go on. Songs can heal what is broken, songs
- can write what seems so wrong. That is why I'm grateful every day to be blessed with the gift of song.
- And the chorus continues. When I'm down, a song will cheer me. When I'm all alone, it comforts me. When
- I'm filled with joy, it lifts me higher.
- to soar above the world. Despite my situation, despite my limitations, I have a gift that brings peace,
- a gift that brings joy, a gift that brings hope and life. I have the gift of song. Tonight, we are happy
- to share our gift, the gift of song, with you. This presentation will feature soloist Gloria Adiani
- and Dr. Raymond Wise. Now please,
- Enjoy our gift of this song to you.
- you all for coming. I actually wrote this over the past summer for my senior composition recital. So
- for the process of making such a song, I actually had to give credit to my mom for kind of being my
- mentor in this because she was like my mock audience member for me to workshop this song to. And so
- even though I didn't really have ACE in mind for this song, I did, however, have the pleasure of performing
- this with these wonderful individuals.
- many of whom I've become fast friends with and I cherish that very much. And I want to give thanks to
- them and also my soloist and good friend Faith Henderson. And I hope that you enjoyed this song and
- thank you for listening. Let's give Brother Malcolm a hand. We're grateful this evening to hear the
- pieces you heard was
- and written by Brother Malcolm. Over the past several years, I have been very deliberate at trying to
- mentor and encourage members of ACE to actually write material and to develop and compose works that
- the ensemble can perform. And this selection represents one of those pieces. One of two that you will
- hear, you'll hear another one in just a little bit by our own Brother Bobby. But over the past years,
- we've had a lot of our ACE students who have written songs,
- And we're so proud and excited of them. So we've got Brother Malcolm here. We've got Brother Bobby here.
- We've had Reggie Bowens in the past. We've had Wayne Austin in the past. We've got Alonza Lawrence.
- So many of our students are now becoming writers and composing. And hopefully, in days to come, they're
- going to be carrying on this legacy. So let's give them all another hand.
- transition to the next section of tonight's program, gospel music, we warmly invite you to fully participate
- in this shared experience. Feel free to sing along, clap along, sway, dance, and even offer a spirited
- sing choir. Gospel music is at its core participatory. It lives and breathes through the engagement,
- energy, and presence those who experience it. Gospel music has emerged in the late
- 1920s and 1930s when African-American jazz and blues musicians began returning to the black church,
- blending the expressive language of blues and jazz with the hymns and spirituals of sacred tradition.
- From these roots, gospel music has continued to evolve into a dynamic and expansive art form, encompassing
- a wide range of styles, eras, and musical expressions. Tonight, we offer a glimpse into the rich diversity
- through several selections that reflect the breadth of the genre.
- Among the composers we honor this evening is gospel legend, Richard Smallwood. Smallwood was widely
- recognized for his innovative fusion of gospel and classical music, creating a refined and deeply expressive
- sound that reshaped contemporary gospel and expanded its artistic possibilities. His work stands as
- a powerful testament to both musical excellence and spiritual devotion. It is with profound sadness
- that we acknowledge his passing on December 30th, 2025,
- For many of us, including Dr. Wise, he was not only a musical influence, but also a mentor whose artistry
- profoundly shaped his understanding of gospel music's potential. He was personally inspired by his example
- as a classically trained musician committed to the gospel tradition. And it was through the music that
- Dr. Wise was inspired to start his own journey in classical music.
- This next selection, composed by Richard Smallwood, is based on the timeless words of Psalm 8. Oh Lord,
- our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth. At its heart, this psalm invites us into a posture
- of awe, lifting our eyes beyond ourselves to recognize the majesty, order, and beauty of God's creation.
- The psalmist wonders at the vastness of the heavens, yet is equally struck by the dignity and worth
- of humanity. What is man, that thou art mindful of him? In that tension between divine greatness and
- human significance,
- we find both humility and hope. In this musical setting, we are invited not only to sing these words,
- but to embody them, to declare through voice and gesture, the excellence of the God of the gospel. It
- is a declaration that reaches beyond sound, becoming a testimony of reverence, gratitude, and praise.
- Tonight, we will sing and sign this text as an act of worship, affirming that God's name is excellent
- in all the earth. We are especially pleased to feature Chloe Williams as our soloist.
- Let us enter into this moment of praise together. Enjoy Psalm 8.
- There is actually a difference between the spiritual and the gospel tradition. In spirituals, enslaved
- African-Americans spoke of freedom and the life to come. But in gospel music, African-Americans declare
- freedom right here and now. They celebrate abundant life that God gives us in this very moment.
- And too often, we put off living. We make our bucket lists and our dreams of some day, but life is short.
- We used to say, here today and gone tomorrow,
- However, now we say here today, gone today. But this song encourages us to live your best life right
- now. So ask yourself, what are your dreams? What are your gifts? What are you waiting for? You don't
- need anyone to give you permission to walk in your purpose. So live boldly, live joyfully, start living
- now because tomorrow's not promised.
- Now this is a song, it's a gospel song, you know that, so we're gonna invite you to use all the tools,
- the rock and the clap and the pat and all those things and celebrate with us. Now remember again, friends
- don't let friends clap on one and three. You rock on one and three, you clap on two and four,
- you got it? All right, so please welcome Will Weir as we celebrate, live your best life. Enjoy, celebrate
- with us. Yeah! Let's go!
- we encounter moments that leave us feeling isolated. When challenges arise, support seems distant. And
- even in the midst of a crowd, we can experience a profound sense of being alone. Yet within the gospel
- tradition, there remains a steadfast and unwavering declaration. You are never alone. The God of the
- gospel has promised to never leave nor forsake us, offering a presence that sustains, strengthens, and
- reassures.
- It is this promise that allows believers to stand with confidence and proclaim that God is our helper,
- and we need not fear what may come. This enduring hope has long been at the heart of gospel music. To
- know that one is loved, affirmed, and accompanied by a presence that walks with us and even carries
- us when our strength fails is to find the courage to persevere through life's most difficult seasons.
- If you find yourself feeling alone tonight, listen closely
- to the message of this song. It is a reminder of a divine promise. You are not alone. Composed by Richard
- Smallwood, He Won't Leave You will feature Bailey Leiner and Yvette Burton as soloists. Be encouraged
- and enjoy.
- God.
- Small wood songs. Can we get that vamp again? I want y'all to sing that with us. Tens of bassists are
- singing this part. They sing this. He won't leave you. Can y'all sing that with us? Let's try it.
- Here we go, Tens. And. He won't leave you.
- Now the other part is singing this.
- message you're going to hear in African-American sacred music. Hold on, persevere. You are not alone.
- It's been great sharing music with you this evening. Before we do our last couple of numbers, we just
- want to say thank you. We really appreciate all of you who've taken your time to come out and be with
- us, the IU community, the Bloomington community. We thank you for your continual support. And again,
- we always say we understand that you did not have to come, but you showed up.
- and that really makes a difference, and we're grateful. Again, we say thanks to all those sponsors who
- have been with us throughout this season. We say thanks to Jim and Connie Cook, to Annie Willis, to
- the Department of Theater, Dance, Contemporary Drama, to the Jacobs School of Music, to IU
- Student Government, to the IU Alumni Association, to Old National Bank, all of who have been with us
- all year long, helping us to do what we do. In addition, we want to thank again our academic partners,
- the African American and African Diaspora Studies Department, through which these students earn credit
- through their participation in this
- Again, we also thank the College of Arts and Sciences for assisting us as we've moved through
- this transitional year, especially Joanna Davis and Mary Grimm, who've helped us as we've negotiated
- all the changes in that department. Then I also want to say thanks again to our Neal Marshall Black
- Culture Center family. They are indeed our family, Dr. Glow, Brother Tim, Ms. Nancy, and our new friend
- Anaya, who is now in the office. We are grateful for you, the Neal Marshall ambassadors, who always
- show up and help us out as faithful partners. We could not do what we do without your support. We actually
- are housed in
- this building and we work together and and we share space and it's wonderful to have that family with
- us as well but know that you are appreciated.
- I also want to give thanks to the choral ensemble. And the members, again, as I said, they come from
- all over the campus, most of which are not music majors. They're just folks who just want to sing. So
- they come together, they bring their gifts, and they celebrate the diversity on this campus. And they
- bring everything together to show examples of what we can do in terms of shared value and shared vision.
- I do want to take a moment, and I want to acknowledge our graduating seniors and our grad students.
- When I call them, will you all come down and just stand with me to shy beam.
- Darren Collins, Bobby Davis Jr., Malcolm Dokes, Kim Gabriel, Faith Henderson, Ambril Ivy, Malcolm Massey,
- Jordan Marie, Jack Reese, and Lauren Silcox. Let's give them all a hand. These are all about graduating seniors.
- And many of these young people have been with us for four years. Some have been for two. Some have been
- for three. And some are new. They just came in this last year. But either way, we want them to know
- that we appreciate them. We are proud of them. And we want you to know that we are excited about what
- is yet to come forth in your lives and your career. And always know that you always have a family here
- in ACE. And whenever you are feeling lonely, you need a home. You can always come on back. And you can
- come on and share and join in with us. But we want you to know we are proud of what you've accomplished,
- proud of what you've done, and know that we will
- We miss you, but we know you're going on to greater things. And it's always a challenge when we leave
- our good folks go on, but we know that's the purpose of coming. You come so you can go. So we are grateful
- that you've made it through and we're proud of you. Let's give them another hand. I'd also like to do
- this. Ambriel, did you get your rose? Ambriel is also graduating. She's our AI. Get her rose too.
- I also want to invite those of you who sing, used to sing in high school choir, church choir, you're
- not singing here on campus, come singing. Now, when we did that singing a bit ago, I heard some voices
- out there, I mean some blowing voices. So if you're not in the choral ensemble,
- Come on and join us. In fact, we have auditions this coming Monday, right down the steps in Grand Hall
- from 7 to 8.30. We'd love for you to come and join us and be a part of ACE. And again, you don't have
- to be a professional singer. You don't have to be all of that. But if you have a gift, you can carry
- a tune. We're going to bring you in. We're going to teach you what you need to know. And we're glad
- that you're here. I do want to say thanks to our gifted AIs, Brother Lange, who is our vocal coach.
- You met him.
- She does a great job. Also, Ambriel Ivy, our road manager for the year. We're grateful for her. And
- we don't take that for granted. Having these assistants really help us to do what we do. And we just
- want you to know that we appreciate all that you do and your labor is not in vain. But we hope that
- you are grateful and thankful for all to be able to see the fruit of your labor as well. So we thank
- you for that as well. Want to say thanks for these musicians. These wonderful musicians here.
- Brother Bobby Davis Jr. here on the keys. Brother Darren Collins over here on the drums. And I'm going
- to give a special shout out to both of them while I have them. Brother Darren came in as a freshman,
- and he has volunteered to pray for ACE for the last four years. He has been faithful. He has been here.
- And we're just so grateful to have you. Thank you, Brother Darren. Proud of you. Looking forward to
- the greater things you're coming to do.
- Brother Bobby over here, we're so grateful and thankful for him as well. He has been with ACE for quite
- a while because he's been at IU going through his undergraduate, his master's, and now his doctorate.
- And in a couple of days, he's going to be walking across that stage. He'll defend and soon he'll be
- Dr. Bobby Davis Jr. So we're certainly proud of him and grateful for the work that he is doing as well.
- We also thank Andrew Downs. Brother Andrew was with us today accompanying for us, and we're grateful
- to have Brother Andrew with us. I'm not sure where he is, but thank you, Brother Andrew.
- grateful for you.
- Then thanks to all of my colleagues, my colleagues in the African American Arts Institute, brother Bob
- Stafford Berry, brother James Strong, Johnny Campbell, Peyton Womack, Sylvester McCoby, all of you that
- labor with us, Yuli, the marketing team, all the rest of you guys, Kayla, all of you crew, we do say
- thank you for your patience today. We had a little snafu in that the administration people who were
- supposed to take care of everything today just didn't show up as they should have. So we were in a place
- like, oh my goodness, what we're gonna do? But the folks stepped up and stood up and we made a way and
- you're here and we're enjoying the celebration.
- So thank you AAI staff and team for doing what you do. Then I want to give a special shout out to Ms.
- Jerrica Stocker. Jerrica is our project manager.
- management specialist, if I can speak. But anyway, over the last year, we have lost several staff members
- in our division. You know, transition has been going on. And while normally we have four or five people
- doing the work of the Institute, just this past year and a half, it has just been Miss Jerrica and myself.
- And she has worked tirelessly, effortlessly, and I'm just working together. And she has really helped
- us to pull off all of all that we've done. So I just want to let her know that we really appreciate
- you and just publicly acknowledge how grateful we are to you. Thank you, Miss Jerrica.
- want to say thanks to our technical staff we also have some some tech crew folks here again you met
- brother Darren but
- But Jaleah and Zai Robertson, these young people have been with us since they were freshmen. They came
- apart, the tech crew, and they're now all about to graduate. And we're so proud of them. We know we're
- going to miss them. But even behind the scenes, we know that we appreciate all that they do. Then the
- other members of our tech staff, Mike Schwann, who's doing lighting, Laurie Garrity, who's doing the
- stage management. But I also want to give a special thank to Johnny Campbell, who's doing sound for
- us tonight. Brother Johnny.
- supervisor and he's gonna be leaving us in a little bit and so he's gonna be retiring in a little bit
- but we're grateful for him and his 30-some years being here at IU and helping at the Institute but know
- that we appreciate you and we thank you for being here. I also appreciate all of you that have come
- from near and far. I know my wife has come from Columbus, Ohio to be with us. We're grateful for her.
- I want to acknowledge any of the ACE members. Are there any ACE members out in the audience? Former
- ACE members. I see some of you. Grateful for you here.
- then do we have parents and friends and family who travel from out of town to be with us tonight? We
- want to say thanks to all of you for coming and we hope you've enjoyed being here with us. Now, know
- that we do need your support. We are so grateful that you have been here and you've helped, but can
- you imagine the IU Institute without the AAI, without AADC, without ACE, without the IU Soul Review,
- What if they went away? What if they were not here? Well, there was a moment a few months ago where
- that was a possibility. As things were transitioning, we weren't quite sure what would happen. And we
- are grateful that we are here, but we know that we have to move toward a sense of today's sustainability
- and getting the kind of resources and help to ensure that we go the next 50 years. So we say thank you
- for being here. Thank you for your support and your continued support. We have an ongoing project called
- the Just One Program. I think we have a slide with that, Ms. Laurie, and I think it's in your book on
- page 10 and 11.
- we have decided that everybody cannot give a million dollar donation. Everybody can't give a hundred
- thousand dollars, everybody can't give a thousand dollars, but somebody can give five. Somebody can
- give ten. Somebody can give twenty. And when we put those together, those small amounts come up to something
- and they make a difference. What it is, as we begin to perform, we travel all over the city, all over
- the state, and sometimes our goal is to continue traveling across the nation and abroad,
- But the money that you provide allows us to do outreach. It allows us to go to schools, allows to go
- to community centers and do all of those things without which we're unable to move this this arts institution
- around. So we encourage you if you are able.
- Feel free to donate, to just go in your book, get the QR code, go right there and do that. Also, we
- had two wonderful 50th anniversary exhibits that were put in place. Brianna Lander, one of our former
- ACE students, curated those exhibits, and they were excellent. And we just want to say publicly thank
- you, Brianna, for your curation of those wonderful exhibits. So let's give her a hand for that.
- slide when you came in you saw we've got some merch all right so we've got some t-shirts and some mugs
- and some lapel pins and we got a beautiful pictorial history book of the african-american choral ensemble
- that goes from its beginnings all the way through to today lovely wonderful a pictorial book you'd love
- to have on your your coffee table and then of course we recorded a recording called inspire me
- And we were so excited about that. We're hoping to do another one soon. And we're working on that project
- as well. But we also were blessed to do a PBS documentary called Amen, Music of the Black Church. That
- particular documentary, we were blessed to win an Emmy Award for that. We won a Telly Award for that.
- And we won a first place professional, Society of Professional Journalists Award for that.
- Then it was picked up by American Public Television, and it's playing for the next eight years all across
- the nation. So you can support us in many, many ways, but we just want you to know that we appreciate
- you. Thank you for coming tonight. Now, let me share this with you. A couple things. ACE and what we
- do is going out in many ways. Let me show you this.
- composers and how things are going forth. Many times when we're writing music, we get a new group in,
- we write and arrange things specifically for ACE. Well, some years ago, we had a young lady who was
- in the choral ensemble. Her name was Nana Amoa, now Nana Amoa Ramey, now Dr. Nana Amoa Ramey.
- But any rate, she was from Ghana and she taught us this song called Donna Say. And as the students heard
- it, they were excited about it. So we partnered together and we did a choral arrangement of it. It was
- actually published and it was published
- and it's released now. So it is sheet music and is released all over the world. People are singing.
- So that was several years ago, but now we just did a whole festival in Canada and they wanted a version
- for sopranos alto, tenor and bass. So they just released yesterday a new version of Donna Say and SSA
- and Miss Nana. This is your copy for your records. A dedication for you in the score. So that is there.
- This song you just heard a few minutes ago called The Gift of Song. I just got this today. That is now
- published. We have been blessed to have a new publishing series with a national company called Hinshaw
- Music Publishers, and they just released this song today.
- Black has a song in our series, the song you heard tonight, hold on a little while longer. So we are
- grateful that we now have an opportunity to be able to provide an outlet for our students and our friends
- to be able to get their music, not only here on stage, but literally all around the world. So we just
- wanted to announce that and say thank you, Dr. Nana. Thank you, Brother Brian. Thank you, Brother Malcolm.
- Thank you, Bobby. All of you that are writing, we know that greater things are yet to come. Then in June,
- We have a Camp Soul where we bring in high school students and they do a whole week of intensive training
- around soul music and do a performance. This year we're gonna be working with the city of Bloomington
- to do a combined performance and their ending show at this point is going to be at Switchyard Park.
- So we're gonna move it off campus, we're gonna have a huge audience and we're gonna combine with them
- for Juneteenth and that'll be a great celebration on June the 19th. So we're excited about that.
- And then one of the former directors of ACE was Dr. James Earl Mumford. He was an icon. He was a great
- force here at IU.
- Dr. Charles Sykes, who is our historian, who's not with us today. He's out of town. At any rate, he
- will be doing a lecture called Hanging with Dr. Mumford. It's a wonderful lecture where you can hear
- more about Dr. Mumford and all those other unique stories that will also be exciting for you. So many
- ways you can support us. We want you to know we're on the move. We're doing great things. We're trying
- to still continue to do the outreach and promote and preserve African-American music and dance through
- scholarship, through creative activity, through performance, through education,
- and through outreach and we can do that with your help. So thank you again for being here tonight and
- we hope you've been blessed. We've got a couple more songs and then we're out of here. Thank you so
- much. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
- When we look at the world today, we might ask, what happened to love, faith, hope, and truth? Where
- is compassion, empathy, and understanding? It often feels like hearts have grown cold. But what if we
- return to the golden rule? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. What if we led with grace,
- kindness, and forgiveness, even when it's hard? Every day, Dr. Wise asks all of us, are you going to
- make it? Some days we say yes. Other days it might be, I'm not so sure.
- Those are the moments when we all need a little more love, faith, hope, and truth to carry us through.
- And we always make it because as the saying goes, trouble don't last always. So as you listen to this
- song composed by Dr. Wise, reflect on these words and remember, if we lead with love, keep faith, hold
- on to hope, and stand on truth, we can make it through anything. Reflect as we sing love, faith, hope,
- and truth.
- Bobby Davis Jr., and it carries a timeless message, lead with love. Every day we face choices,
- how we speak, how we act, how we respond. This song reminds us that our words and actions matter. When
- we lead with love, we invite peace instead of conflict. Love calms storms. Love heals wounds. Love brings
- light into darkness. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, darkness cannot
- Hate cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do
- that. So as you return to your own lives and communities, remember this message. Whatever you do, wherever
- you go, lead with love.