Morehouse College Music Academic Program

Congratulations to Dr. Bernard Short, Composition Fellow for the Alba Music Festival! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1JU7MMgzRI

INSPIRATION I think the first moment that I understood that a choir could do far more than sing Western Classical art music was when I first heard The Morehouse... College Glee Club conducted by @David Morrow in 1992. David and the Morehouse Glee Club have continued to be a constant inspiration for the almost 30 years since. I tried to perform Betelehemu with my high school choir my very first year teaching in 1994 (maybe not the best choice for a first-year teacher...) - David was a very generous clinician and we all learned a LOT:-) This Sunday, David has been generous enough to co-host Sounds Choral with me. Join us at 2pm Eastern/11am Pacific at wwfm.org for an hour of African-American Spirituals starting with historical recordings from the 1940's of greats like Hall Johnson and John W. Work continuing to the greatest living arrangers like Stacey V. Gibbs, Rosephanye Dunn Powell, Marques L. A. Garrett and David's former student Brandon Waddles. We also get to hear from the Morehouse tradition including David's predecessor and teacher Wendell Whalum and his colleague Uzee Brown. If you can't tune in Sunday, you can find it on their WWFM's website to stream after.

Dr. Matthew Morrison ('03), Assistant Professor of Recorded Music at New York University has recently been awarded the Susan McClary and Robert Walser Fellowship from the American Council of Learned Societies. This fellowship will provide support for Dr. Morrison to complete his upcoming book, Blacksound: Making Race & Popular Music in the United States. Congratulations!! https://www.acls.org/research/fellow.aspx

Congratulations to Dr. Chad Hughes! His piece, "Phrygian Reflections" will premier tonight at 8:00 pm at Juilliard please watch if you get a chance. https://www.juilliard.edu//14/jherrard-hardeman-conducting

One more stellar honor for Morehouse College Music Program alumnus Carlos Simon! Congratulations!!

Today we are celebrating Brother Carlos Simon’s success and his contributions to the world of music as part of our Black History Month celebration. Simon is a 2...014 initiate of the Xi Eta Chapter and a native of Atlanta, Georgia, whose music ranges from concert music for large and small ensembles to film scores with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-romanticism. Brother Simon’s latest album, MY ANCESTOR’S GIFT, was released on the Navona Records label in April 2018. Described as an overall driving force (Review Graveyard) and featured on Apple Music’s Albums to Watch, MY ANCESTOR’S GIFT incorporates spoken word and historic recordings to craft a multifaceted program of musical works that are inspired as much by the past as they are the present. In 2018, Simon was named as a Sundance Composer Fellow, held at the historic Skywalker Ranch. His composition for string quartet An Elegy: A Cry From The Grave, which honors the lives of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner, was performed at the Kennedy Center for the Mason Bates JFK Jukebox Series. With support from the US Embassy in Tokyo and the US/Japan Foundation, Brother Simon traveled with the Asia/America New Music Institute (AANMI) on a two-week tour in Japan in 2018. Some of the concert performances took place in some of the most sacred temples and concert spaces in Japan, including Suntory Hall in Tokyo. Brother Simon earned his doctorate at the University of Michigan, where he studied with Michael Daugherty and Evan Chambers. He has also received degrees from Georgia State University and Morehouse College. Additionally, he studied in Baden, Austria, at the Hollywood Music Workshop with Conrad Pope and New York University’s Film Scoring Summer Workshop. Acting as music director and keyboardist for GRAMMY Award winner Jennifer Holliday, Simon has performed with the Boston Pops Symphony, Jackson Symphony, and St. Louis Symphony. He has toured internationally with soul GRAMMY-nominated artist Angie Stone and performed throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. He has served as a member of the music faculty at Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and now serves as Assistant Professor at Georgetown University. Most recently, Brother Simon was named one of the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence recipients. The Sphinx Medal of Excellence is the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization, recognizing extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians. #BlackHistoryMonth #BrotherhoodInMusic #PhiMuAlpha

Today we honor the life and legacy of Brother Wendell P. Whalum as part of our Black History Month celebration. Brother Whalum was a musician, composer, educato...r, and the legendary Director of the Morehouse Glee Club, renowned for his work as Head of Music at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. Whalum was born on September 4, 1931, in Memphis, Tennessee. His parents noticed his exceptional musical talent at a young age, and he played music for several churches in his hometown. He would eventually attend Morehouse College and receive his bachelor's degree. In 1953, he earned his master's from Columbia University and was initiated into Phi Mu Alpha by the Beta Gamma Chapter. He later earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Iowa in 1965. Shortly after joining the Morehouse College faculty in the fall of 1953, Dr. Whalum was appointed Director of the college's Glee Club. Under his leadership, the Glee Club rose to international acclaim. The group had even been invited by famous Atlanta conductor Robert Shaw (Alpha Chi, 1945) to sing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with his chorus for mayor Maynard Jackson's inauguration in 1974. Over time, the reputation of Brother Whalum and the Morehouse Glee Club only grew. They were eventually granted special rehearsal space by Morehouse President, High Gloster, and encouraged to grow as a talented and well-rehearsed ensemble. In 1977, the Glee Club was selected to sing during President Jimmy Carter's inauguration ceremony in Washington, D.C. Through his involvement in and contributions to the community, Dr. Whalum reached legendary fame. Even though he received numerous job offers from major colleges and universities, Brother Whalum chose to remain at Morehouse and invest in his community's betterment. He organized and directed the Atlanta University Center Community Chorus (AUCCC) and was co-director of the Morehouse-Spelman Chorus. As church music had been a passion since childhood, Whalum also many positions as an organist and choirmaster for Atlanta area churches. Brother Whalum possessed the rare mixture of intellect, common sense, and humility. He was generous, warm, cheerful, charitable, and committed to excellence and service. To continue his legacy, the AUCCC chose to honor its founder and form as the Wendell P. Whalum Community Chorus, which still performs today. The chorus is currently under the direction of Dr. David Morrow (Xi Eta, 1994) and performs free concerts in the greater Atlanta community throughout the year. #BlackHistoryMonth #BrotherhoodInMusic #PhiMuAlpha

Honored and Amped to get the chance to work on the #StarSpangledBanner for the Super Bowl with my BASSic Black Entertainment, LLC, family and my Good Times Hor...ns Brothers!! Adam Blackstone never ceases to amaze me!! #TooBlessedToRest #HornArranger #HornEngineer #ThePriceJustWentUp Morehouse College Music Academic Program Morehouse College Marching Band Alumni daCarbo Musical Instruments Denis Wick Products Universal Audio Warm Audio Danny Cheung Wilbert Williams Mike Burton Tyries Rolfe Brian Frasier-Moore Jazmine Sullivan Eric Church See more

The tradition continues! The 94th Annual Morehouse-Spelman Christmas Carol Concert will air on the Morehouse College YouTube channel (http://youtube.com/MorehouseCollege) on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. We look forward to having you tune in!

Every Morehouse College commencement the Morehouse College Glee Club and Glee Club Alumni join to sing Prayer from Lohengrin by Richard Wagner (arr. George Mead). It is a tradition! Covid-19 changed all plans for the 2020 Commencement. This past May current members and alumni sang from their homes during a lock down and created this virtual video with Dr. David Oliver at the organ! As a tribute our 2020 graduates in the Glee Club and all of our graduates at Morehouse College, we offer this with our congratulations and best wishes! Don’t let the look fool you! They are singing from the heart and the message could not be timelier: Oh Lord, defend the right!!

Please join us for the Virtual 94th Annual Christmas Carol Concert featuring new virtual videos and concert favorites from past performances!

GO NOW!!!! https://morehouseparty.com Historic Musical Experience Tuesday, December 1st, 2020... 8pm EST Join us and experience the diverse musical gifts and talents of Morehouse Men from across generations. Come to party, celebrate and raise funds for Morehouse College. Featuring: - DJ TARXAN ‘21 - JULIAN CLARK II ‘18 - CODY GOTBEATZ ‘16 - DJ TRON ‘94 - Christopher Stanley '11 - Christopher Allison '09 - Gary Clark & Julian Booker '15 - Jaye Price '09 - Keeyen Martin '13 - Marcus Blackwell '09 - Clarence Levy '98 - Sean Isler '09 - Vinson "ALaz" Muhammad '11 - James King '06 - Melvin Jones '01 - Terrence Brown '06 Giveaways, guest appearances and a lot of love for "DA HOUSE"!

Enjoy! Honored to be included in Georgia’s Home for the Holidays with the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. Stay tuned for information for the Virtual 94th Annual Morehouse Spelman Christmas Carol Concert coming to you mid December!

Dr. Aaron Carter Enyi and his wife Quintina Carter Enyi have created this informative short documentary based on ADEPt primary sources on Igbo languages and melodies. https://vimeo.com/448178213

105 VOICES OF HISTORY HBCU NATIONAL CONCERT CHOIR!

Music Program alumnus Dr. Brandon Waddles innovating at Wayne State University!

Congratulations to music program alumnus, Dr. Hakeem Leonard on this new Assistant Provost appointment at Shenendoah University! https://www.su.edu//shenandoah-names-assistant-provost-f/

Congratulations to Dr. Chad Hughes for one more world premiere composition! Please hear his "Tribute to Sinfonia" played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra Low Brass Quartet!! https://www.sinfonia.org//two-premieres-three-brothers-a/

Fantastic piece featuring alumnus and adjunct professor Melvin Jones on trumpet!

Congratulations to Adjunct Professor Joyce Johnson as she received the prestigious Edward Hansen Leadership Award from the American Guild of Organists (AGO). The award was presented to her by their National President during the organization’s Organ Fest 2020, which was held virtually on July 23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MekZcJZqOrk You can watch the presentation (see link above), which includes her organ performance beginning around 7 minutes 37 seconds!

Music composed by our division chair, Dr. Uzee Brown, will be featured at the Lakes Area Music Festival's Giving Thanks concert, SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2 p.m. Central Time https://lakesareamusic.org/2020-season/giving-thanks/

It is public knowledge now, so I can share! UPDATE: Our Harp and Organ Prelude tomorrow for Congressman John Lewis’ Funeral Service will be included in the live...-streamed broadcast on Ebenezer Baptist Church’s You Tube Channel at 10:30 AM! https://youtu.be/iIglT1FKeJY Original Post: It will be my profound honor on Thursday to play a 15-minute Organ Prelude at the Funeral of one of my heroes and American Legend, Congressman John Lewis, at the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church here in Atlanta on Thursday from 10:4511:00 AM. Also, my dear friend and colleague, Monica Hargrave, will perform a 15-minute Harp Prelude just before me from 10:30-10:45 AM on Thursday. Another dear friend and colleague, Dr. Robert Tanner, will be playing timpani (kettledrums) with me on the final piece of the Organ Prelude. It is a thrill to collaborate with my friend, who is a brilliant percussionist. I’ve just learned that the National Television Broadcast actually won’t begin until after the Prelude has finished, but see the Update at the top of this post. Rest in Power, Congressman Lewis. Thank you for your love, leadership, and strength to make America truly great. And thank you for personally encouraging me to run with my unbridled passion for helping others to find their voices in this world. We will see you on the other side.

Congratulations to alumnus and former faculty member Mark Chubb!!

Congratulations to Carlos Simon!! Morehouse graduate and former faculty member! Bravo again!!

Listen to our own Dr. Chad Hughes' composition (Suite No. 1 for Bassoon) featured in this recital! Congratulations! https://www.lakemusicfestival.org/concert-2---july-194.html