Manchester UMC Chancel Choir & IN UNISON Chorus of the St. Louis Symphony

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: The Music of Rosephanye Powell and Rollo Dilworth

Viewed as two of the foundational composers and arrangers of our time, Powell and Dilworth have crafted music of the African Diaspora covering a wide variety of styles. Traditional, classical, spiritual and gospel, their music represents the finest in choral music and is performed around the world. This concert will include; “Ascribe to the Lord,” “The Word Was God” and “Hallelujah” (from The Cry of Jeremiah) by Rosephanye Powell. The music of Rollo Dilworth includes, “Oh! What a Beautiful City,” “Justice,” and “Freedom’s Plow.” Kevin McBeth, Conductor and John Cargile, piano.

CONCERT REPERTOIRE

Included works by Rosephanye Powell:

• Ascribe to the Lord
• Kyrie
• The Word Was God
• Lord, I Believe
• Hallelujah
• The Righteous Cry Out
• Still I Rise (Soloist: David Gill)

Included works by Rollo Dilworth:

• Invocation
• Oh! What a Beautiful City
• Justice
• Walk In Jerusalem
• I Sing Because I’m Happy
• Selma 1965: Let My People Go
• Freedom’s Plow

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

ABOUT: Kevin McBeth

Kevin McBeth is the Director of Music at MUMC in suburban St. Louis. He serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry, which includes 18 choral and handbell ensembles, involving nearly 500 children, youth, and adults. Kevin has also served as Adjunct Professor in Choral Music at Webster University. Over the past 20 years, he has conducted honor, festival, and touring choirs (choral and handbell) in the United States and Canada. Previous appointments include Assistant Conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and Music Director of the St. Louis Metro Singers. His 30-year career in church music has included appointments in churches in Houston, Texas, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Kevin McBeth was appointed Director of the SLSO IN UNISON Chorus in 2011.

ABOUT: Manchester United Methodist Church (MUMC) Choir

The MUMC Chancel Choir is a 130-voice ensemble that is an active music ministry at Manchester United Methodist Church in suburban St. Louis, Mo. The music program involves more than 500 persons of all ages who sing, ring or play an instrument to the glory of God. The program consists of 19 choral and handbell groups including six youth choral groups, two adult choirs, five handbell groups, small ensembles that include adult and youth praise teams, a select choir, a gospel quartet, a women's ensemble, a brass choir, and a small string ensemble.

Dedicated to spreading God's word through the power of music, the Chancel Choir of MUMC is the center of a vital music ministry in Missouri's largest United Methodist Church. Under the leadership of Kevin McBeth, director of music ministries, the Chancel Choir provides music for Sunday worship, conducts community outreach concerts in the greater St. Louis area, regularly tours to other churches in the region, and has performed at Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center.

ABOUT: St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus

The SLSO’s IN UNISON program is a multi-faceted initiative founded in 1992. It includes partnerships between the orchestra and 30+ local African American churches, a chorus that performs and preserves music from the African diaspora, and the IN UNISON Academy, which provides scholarship and fellowship opportunities to young musicians pursuing careers in the music industry. Learn more about SLSO IN UNISON Chorus here:

ABOUT: John Cargile, pianist

John joined the MUMC staff as Organist/Music Associate in November of 2007. At MUMC, he assists the Director of Music. Keving McBeth, in many aspects of the music program. HE serves as Principal Organist and oversees two associate organists; accompanies both the Chancel and Coventry Choirs; and directs the Youth Choir CANTATE. He has accompanied Manchester choirs in performances in both Italy and at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. He has performed organ recitals along the East Coast of the U.S. and also serves as the accompanist for The St. Louis Gateway Men's Chorus and the Black Tulip Chorale.

OTHER CONTRIBUTORS

ABOUT: Rosephanye Powell, Composer/Arranger

is professor of voice at Auburn University where she teaches applied voice, art song literature, and vocal pedagogy courses and conducts the women’s chorus and co-conducts the Concert Choir and Gospel Choir. Powell holds degrees from Florida State University, Westminster Choir College, and Alabama State University. Powell has been hailed as one of America’s premier women composers of choral and solo vocal music.Her song cycles Miss Wheatley’s Garden, Then Here and Now and Langston Dreams are performed by professional concert artists throughout the U.S. and Europe. Chorally, She has an impressive catalogue of works published by the Hal Leonard Corporation, Gentry Publications, Oxford University Press, Alliance Music Publications, and Shawnee Press, among others.

ABOUT: Rollo Dilworth, Composer/Arranger

is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education and Chair of the Music Education Department at Temple University's Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music education, he serves as conductor for the University Chorale. Dilworth holds degrees from Case Western Reserve University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and Northwestern University. Dilworth has written and/or arranged over 150 choral works that are currently in print. His choral compositions are a part of the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Choral Series with Hal Leonard Corporation and Colla Voce Music Company. He has recently published pieces with the Santa Barbara Music Publishing Company as part of the Mary Alice Stollak Choral Series. He authored a number of books and frequently serves as a guest conductor and/or clinician for honors, festival and all-state choirs throughout the United States and abroad.

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