Adolphus Hailstork’s The World Called
and
A Conversation on African-American Choral Music, with special guests:
Adolphus Hailstork, Composer
Arreon Harley-Emerson, Conductor
The World Called
Music by Adolphus Hailstork
Text by Rita Dove
Commissioned by The Oratorio Society of Virginia
This month, The Oratorio Society revisits its 2018 world premiere of Adolphus Hailstork’s The World Called, based on Rita Dove’s poem, Testimonial. Guests will have the opportunity to hear the performance on YouTube at 7:00 PM.
Then, at 7:30 PM, all are invited to join Music Director Michael Slon with our two special guests, composer Adolphus Hailstork and conductor Arreon Harley-Emerson, for an exploration of African-American achievements in choral Music.
All choral music lovers are invited to join, and both events will be free and open to the public. We look forward to seeing you!
With special thanks to:
and
About our Guests
A conductor, entrepreneur, and educator, Arreon Harley-Emerson is also a champion of choral music as a vehicle for social progress. Currently serving as the Director of Music and Operations at the Choir School of Delaware, Mr. Harley-Emerson’s is a powerful voice for the community equity and inclusivity that can be achieved through the arts.
Nationally celebrated as a composer and pedagogue, Adolphus Hailstork’s work has been heard as recently as the 2021 Presidential Inauguration. Fans of The Oratorio Society may recall Prof. Hailstork’s name as the composer of The World Called, which was commissioned and premiered in celebration of our 50th Anniversary, and will be discussed this evening.
Click the images below for full biographies of our guests.
Thank you to our arts partners!
Arreon Harley-Emerson
Adolphus Hailstork
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Photo Credit: Bill Doggett
“I just loved the composers I loved, and I never thought about the fact that they were white and I was black.”
-Adolphus Hailstork: Bridging Two Worlds, interview with Michael Zwiebach | June 23, 2020
Thank you to our arts partners!
“I think the arts naturally engage people of diverse backgrounds, but we need to move intentionally …”
-A. Harley-Emerson, from The Changing Face of the Arts, by Jordan Howell | September 30, 2019
Thank you to our arts partners!
Do you like what you’re hearing from us?
Thanks to the generosity of many, The Oratorio Society of Virginia has had the privilege of serving our community by sharing the transformative power and joy of choral singing for over 50 years. Even in light of public health restrictions, due to COVID-19, we will continue to carry this mission forward by offering digital concert and lecture experiences throughout the year, until we can safely welcome our community back to the concert hall. It is thanks to your support that we are able to do this. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift today!
The Oratorio Society Singers, 2020-21 Season
Soprano
Kimberly Allen
Hayley Austin
Casey Baber
Ellen Bessell
Kate Donovan
Kirra Hyde
Heidi M. Kupke
Celia Lankford
* Kimberly Lauter
Katie Manning
* † Margaret O’Bryant
* Suzanne Schaeffer
Theresa Scruggs
Hannah Slayton
Alanna Smith
Judy Smith
Taylor Stukenborg
Marlene Thacker
Leah Wayner
Alto
Sheila Borger
Marie Callahan
Carol Diggs
Angela Herstek-Zongilla
Julia Hilkey
Virginia Hill
Margaret Holstege
* Karen Honeycutt
* Kelly Kennedy
* Diane Kingsbury
Linda Leshowitz
Karen Marsh
Joanie McGuire
Liz McQuade
Erin Palombi
Lily Perkowski
Lizzy Ramey
Serena Scott Thomas
Barbara Shaffer
Sarah Shalf
* Katy Sinclair
Trish Smith
Joy Tobias
Sharon Utz
Caroline Wilhelm
Amanda Williams
Bass
Jason Boehmer
Andreas Broscheid
* Matthew Butterman
Josh Crockett
Bob Dickman
Ron Gaykema
Michael Goetz
* Steve Harris
Craig Schneiders
* † Frank Sherwood
* Roger Shields
Yuji Shinozaki
Fred Simon
Paulius Sinkora
David Tate
* Jan Tobias
Matthew Zimmerman
Rehearsal Accompanist
Daniel Hine
* Board of Directors
† Officer
Tenor
Timothy Allen
James Atkins
Jim Boyd
Dorian Brown
* † Drene DeGood
Chris Duska
Wayne Gammon
John Jesus
Carrol Kinsey
* George Nowacek
Devon Weidner
Click to learn more about The Oratorio Society of Virginia.
Would you like to see your business name here?
The Oratorio Society of Virginia offers a well-defined, valuable, and influential audience through which to circulate your business’s brand identity. Click below to learn more about corporate sponsorship.