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Circle Singers Program Notes April 30, 2005
Authentic Spirituals in the United States are songs that draw on the African tradition of communicating almost everything through music. The number of slaves in this country grew from twenty in 1619 to more than three million by 1860, the start of the Civil War. Many came from various tribes who spoke different languages. In addition, slaves working on plantations were not permitted to talk to each other during the workday. Since, as is the case with all human beings, slaves were driven to communicate with each other, they found a common cultural thread in music. The caller-response style was adopted from the African tradition of conveying history, current events, directions, and stories. Other common characteristics of Spirituals can also be traced back to the African experience-the predominance of minor keys and the layered text tapestry of multiple rhythms and multiple texts, for example. To the surprise of many, Spirituals were not intended to be religious; however, religious themes were safe and misleading to slave owners as well. Messages to and about people were imbedded in verses. The same characters and symbols reappear in numerous Spirituals because they were intended to depict or convey the same information. Some of the codes to listen for in Spirituals include:
The Spirituals in today's program can be separated into different categories: call for gatherings, the crossing, descriptions of slavery, The Underground Railroad, religious, the emancipation, and after the Civil War concert arrangements. This body of work is indeed a magnificent American treasure. This one medium was the common thread that not only kept so many slaves alive, but also told their stories, kept their hopes alive, and literally led them to freedom. -James E. Thomas About The Artists James E. Thomas has given presentations on Spirituals in Germany, Brazil, Austria, Sweden, Africa, and various locations across the United States. Since 1976, Mr. Thomas has been the founding Director of the American Red Cross Chorus, headquartered in Washington, DC, and also currently directs the Aquia Lion's Chorus in Stafford, VA. He has recruited and directed military choirs in Vietnam and Germany. While attending Fisk University, Mr. Thomas sang with the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Later he sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale in Atlanta and with The Paul Hill Chorale as a soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Mr. Thomas is a former member of Circle Singers and served on the Board of Directors. Mr. Thomas was a teacher before joining the American Red Cross, where he held a variety of positions over forty years and retired as the Corporate Equal Employment Opportunity Officer. He is now a private management consultant providing assistance with violence prevention, sexual harassment prevention, strategic planning, employee relations, and conflict resolution. Mr. Thomas is also co-owner of Capital Security Solutions, a company that provides security officers to workplaces and events.
Robert Novak Robert Novak has performed in the United States, Europe, and Africa as a solo percussionist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician. In 2001, Mr. Novak traveled to West Africa to study traditional drumming and dance. While in Ghana, he was invited to play with Akrowa, a professional drumming troupe who performed at events such as weddings, funerals, and festivals. For two months, Mr. Novak absorbed the culture and traditions of West Africa while playing with Akrowa and traveling to villages in and around Ghana. Currently, Mr. Novak teaches percussion at Morgan State University, Howard Community College, and accompanies the Dance Department at University of Maryland at College Park. In addition, he directs a program for inner city children in West Baltimore that teaches instrumental music, voice, and general music education. He has played percussion with the Maryland Symphony, the Aspen Chamber Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony and the Baltimore Opera Company. Mr. Novak received his Bachelor of Music degree and Master of Music degree at the Peabody Conservatory of Music.
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