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.