Spirituals: The Root of American Music

As part of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr celebrations happening in Denver, The Spirituals Project Choir will be holding a performance on Tuesday, January 16 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church to shed a light on the role that The Spirituals played in the early beginnings of American Music. The Spirituals Project Choir will be joined by Montview’s Westminster Choir, soprano Karen Slack, and Grammy Award-winning Pacifica Quartet which includes Simin Ganatra on violin, Austin Hartman on violin, Mark Holloway on viola, and Brandon Vamos on cello. A conversation will be led by Montview Pres Choir Director Adam Waite and Director of The Spirituals Project M. Roger Holland. The program will also provide an overview of the Reparations Royalty Pilot Program—a practice of valuing the musical contributions of persons of color.

M. Roger Holland, II met with Steve Chavis of The Morning Set to dive into the importance of The Spirituals and how they led to blues and other forms of modern music.

For more information, visit The Lamont School of Music’s The Spirituals Project page and The Friends of Chamber Music Event Page. To RSVP to Spirituals: The Root of American Music, you can click here.

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Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of The Spirituals Project