Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell

Building a Vocal Community:
Singing in the African American Tradition

Saturday, August 28, 2010
2:00 – 5:00 pm
Western Springs

Sunday, August 29, 2010
2:00 – 5:00 pm
Rogers Park, Chicago

There is an awesome power in the human voice and when uncommon voices are blended for the common good, they become a “vocal community” at its best. In this workshop singers and non-singers will share the experience of learning in the oral tradition and singing rhythms, chants, traditional songs from Africa and the Diaspora, and a variety of songs from African American culture including spirituals, ring shouts, hymns, gospels and songs from the Civil Rights Movement. We will explore the values embedded in the music, the role of cultural and spiritual traditions and rituals, ways in which leadership emerges and can be shared among community members, and the nature of cultural responses to and influences on political and social struggle.

Dr. Ysaye M. Barnwell has been with the internationally renowned, African American women’s a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock since 1979. She appears as a vocalist and/or instrumentalist on more than thirty recordings with Sweet Honey and other artists. She has spent much of her time off stage working as a master teacher and choral clinician in African American cultural performance. This workshop has been conducted on three continents, making her work in the field a significant source of inspiration for both singers and non-singers, a model of pedagogy for educators, and cultural activists and historians. Dr. Barnwell has been a commissioned composer on numerous choral, film, video, dance and theatrical projects. She is also an actress whose credits include appearances on the large and small screen, voice-over narration for film, video and radio productions. She is the author of two illustrated books for children: No Mirrors In My Nana’s House and We Are One.

Back to Main Page