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Resonance: Black Composers & Spirituals


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Andrew Egbuchiem full profile / Voice and Piano / 2 musicians


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Program Note

Resonance: Black Composers & Spirituals

Resonance explores the enduring power of Black musical expression through art song and the spiritual—two traditions deeply rooted in faith, resilience, and lived experience. These works carry stories shaped by history yet alive in the present, revealing how Black composers have transformed inherited melodies and texts into profound expressions of identity, devotion, and strength.

The spirituals heard this evening emerge from communal memory, forged in struggle and sustained by belief. Through the arrangements of Undine Smith Moore, Betty Jackson King, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, and Hall Johnson, these songs are reimagined with individuality and artistic depth, preserving their sacred essence while amplifying their emotional range.

Alongside the spirituals, art songs by Florence Price and Leslie Adams offer a more intimate perspective—turning inward toward longing, reflection, and dignity. These works illuminate the interior life of the soul, balancing tenderness with resolve and quiet beauty with purpose.

Together, the music on this program reveals resonance not only as sound, but as inheritance: voices echoing across generations, bearing witness to faith, perseverance, and the enduring power of song.

Opening | Invocation & Gathering
I) Is There Anybody Here Who Loves My Jesus Traditional Spiritual, arr. Undine Smith Moore
II) River Chant Hall Johnson

Section II | Inner Life & Reflection
III) Song to the Dark Virgin Florence Price
IV) The Heart of a Woman Leslie Adams
V) Sence You Went Away Leslie Adams

Section III | Strength, Faith & Testimony
VI) It’s Me, O Lord Traditional Spiritual, arr. Betty Jackson King
VII) Dry Bones Traditional Spiritual, arr. Margaret Bonds

Finale | Affirmation & Proclamation
VIII) You Won’t Find a Man Like Jesus
IX) Traditional Spiritual, arr. Florence Price

Witness
Traditional Spiritual, arr. Hall Johnson


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