1 week ago
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The powerful voices of the National Chorale of Jamaica (NCOJ) will fill the historic University Chapel at The University of the West Indies, Mona, on Sunday, November 1, as the 54-year-old chorale raises the curtain on its classical concert season with Songs of Faith & Freedom” – a stirring celebration of the negro spiritual and its enduring messages of faith, hope, resilience and liberation.
The concert, which begins at 6 p.m. sharp, will explore a musical tradition, born out of the experiences of enslaved Africans in the United States and transformed over generations into one of the world’s most powerful and influential forms of sacred folk music.
Continuing under the patronage of Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Rheima Hall, the concert will also mark an important milestone for the chorale as newly appointed musical director, Michael Sutherland, takes the baton for his first full concert since assuming the position earlier this year. Sutherland succeeds immediate past musical director, Winston A.G. Ewart.
The bass-baritone said he was particularly excited about the theme selected for the concert and the opportunity to explore the historical and emotional depth of the spiritual.
“These songs were born out of tremendous hardship, but they also speak profoundly to faith, courage, resistance and an unshakeable belief in freedom,” Sutherland said. “That emotional journey is what we want our audience to experience through the music.”
REHEARSALS IN HIGH GEAR
With rehearsals now in high gear, Sutherland said the chorale has been delving deeply into both the musical and historical dimensions of the repertoire.
“The intensity of the production can already be felt in rehearsals,” he said. “The compositions take us into the experiences of enslaved people, their sorrow and suffering, but equally their determination, spirituality, hope and yearning for freedom. These are songs that continue to stir the emotions centuries later.”
Among the beloved spirituals to be featured are Give Me That Old Time Religion (composer Moses Hogan); Lord I Want to Be a Christian (composer Eban Hutton); as well as Amen (composer Jester Hairston), with the programme showcasing the rich harmonies, rhythmic vitality and expressive power for which the genre is renowned.
Negro spirituals emerged within enslaved African-American communities, drawing upon African musical traditions and Christian biblical imagery. Beyond their religious expression, many carried themes of deliverance and freedom, and scholars have long examined whether some may also have conveyed coded messages relating to escape.
Songs, such as Steal Away, attributed to Wallace Willis, have often been interpreted in this context. Spirituals including Go Down, Moses also became closely associated with liberation and the ‘Underground Railroad’, particularly through accounts surrounding abolitionist and freedom-fighter Harriet Tubman.
Chairman of the National Chorale of Jamaica, Christopher Samuda, said the concert demonstrates the chorale’s commitment to preserving important musical traditions while exploring the global history and cultural significance of the music it performs.
“Songs of Faith & Freedom celebrates resilience in the face of oppression and the empowerment of the human spirit through music,” Samuda said. “It is a repertoire that reminds us that even in the darkest circumstances, the human voice can become a powerful instrument of faith, hope and freedom.”
The concert also continues the chorale’s educational mission of introducing younger generations to significant choral and classical traditions. As part of this outreach, select high-school students have been invited to attend the concert and experience the repertoire in live performance.
The National Chorale of Jamaica has maintained a distinguished place in Jamaica’s cultural landscape, presenting choral works spanning classical, sacred, folk and contemporary traditions while helping to preserve and broaden appreciation for excellence in choral music.
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