FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPIRITUALS WITH ALICE PARKER

A Melodious Accord Workshop 2002
Saturday January 19, 2002
At the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC

In the belief that Spiritual Songs are among the great melodies of the world,

• that they invite us into an unparalleled expression of our common humanity,
• that their tunes and texts deserve serious and respectful study,
• that their existence is a powerful symbol of hope from an oppressed people,
• that their performance may provide a powerful inter-faith, inter-racial experience,
• that their faith, honesty and vision bring a unique viewpoint to Bible studies,
• that their singing invites us into a complex-but-simple world of improvisation,
• and that their singing en-nobles us:

Melodious Accord announces a Workshop on Spirituals led by Alice Parker, to take place at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC on Saturday, January 19, 2002. The Musicians of Melodious Accord, the New York Young People’s Chorus and the Riverside Church Inspirational Singers will join that evening in the Fifteenth Annual Concert dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Workshop registrants will receive a packet of music, and attend the dress rehearsal of the three choruses preparing for the concert. An hour of discussion with Alice Parker will follow, with thoughts on the arranging, rehearsing and performing of Spirituals.

Composer, conductor and teacher Alice Parker has devoted years to the collection and study of Spirituals, and has many published compositions and arrangements based on these remarkable melodies. She brings an authoritative voice both to those encountering spirituals for the first time, and to those who have a long and cherished acquaintanceship with them.

The Workshop will be of interest to singers and instrumentalists, teachers and students, composers and arrangers, conductors and song-leaders, and all who love to sing.

Saturday, January 19, 2002:
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Rehearsal
4:30 - -5:30 p.m. Discussion

Fee: $25 for packet of music and advance registration before Dec. 19, 2001
$10 for later registration, no packet

Tickets to the concert will be available at the Cathedral Box Office.