Editor's note: This is a guest blog by musician, writer, and music critic Patrick D. McCoy. He reflects on the influence of the church for many renowned Black artists ahead of Anna H. Wang Series' presentation of "Morris and Friends", an evening of opera and gospel.
"I consider the church to have been my musical conservatory."
Soprano Michelle Bradley
On Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 8 pm, some of the world's most gifted vocal and instrumental musicians will grace Takoma Park Seventh Day Adventist Church for an evening of music never to be forgotten. This special evening of opera, classical and gospel themed "Morris and Friends" brings together internationally acclaimed bass opera singer Morris Robinson with some extraordinary music talent.
Usually, one does not equate the rendering of music in church as a performance or a stage for that matter. How many times have you witnessed the 'performance' of a young person in church that was not by worldly standards acceptable, yet they were still encouraged and applauded by the congregation for their efforts? Historically, the church has served as the first concert hall for many Black performing artists including opera singers Marian Anderson, Leontyne Price, Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle, William Warfield and pianists Cyrus Chestnut and Thomas Wright 'Fats' Waller among numerous others got their musical start in church. We caught up with Robinson about the inspiration behind this passion project, along with similar experiences from some of the featured performers for the evening.
Morris drew his inspiration for music from his father by playing with him in church. His father was a minister, his mother sang in the gospel choir and his three sisters also sang in their childhood church. In an interview with Lauren Leathers of ARTS ATL, Robinson noted the perception of the arts for a person of his physical stature. “Growing up in the South and being a brother from southwest Atlanta of this size and stature, you don’t want to be a singing person — football and sports is where it all is,” he says. “I really wanted to be an athlete because that was where all the cool guys were” he told Leathers.
Soprano Michelle Bradley had a similar experience. Bradley, who like her colleagues have sung in some of world's greatest opera houses and concert halls, including The Metropolitan Opera. She recounted her own recollection of the importance of her early influences of the church in her development as a singer. "I was raised as a Missionary Baptist. Being involved in church was a huge part of my personal and musical life. My parents were very involved in the church and so therefore my brothers and I had to be too. My father was head deacon and my mother was in the choir. When they discovered that I had a love for music they put me up in front of the church singing in the choir and playing piano and organ. I consider the church to have been my musical conservatory."
A binding tie between all of these artists is certainly how the church was a family affair. Whether it was in the choir as a member of the auxiliaries, the church gave them all a sense of purpose and acceptance. "Growing up, I was tall for my age. I participated in the children’s choir but my pastor “kicked me out” at ten years old because I was too tall and looked much older than I was. I felt alienated and rejected, but my parents saw that as an opportunity for me to showcase my talent. I ended up being the pianist and choir director for the children’s choir and even the adult choir. I also began singing solos and this gave me some much needed confidence as I was pretty shy. My parents taught me to always sing from my heart and with feeling no matter what. I have carried this into my professional career and although they have passed on, everywhere I sing I always see my parents in the audience."
Shifting gears to the instrumental side of things, Brandon Waddles, who is serving as the evening's music director shared with us the richness of his church upbringing and the important musical nurture of his father. "I was born into an extremely musical and church-going family, but certainly it was my father's work in the music ministries of such legendary spaces as Hartford Memorial Baptist, St. James Baptist, and New Bethel Baptist churches (among others) that influenced my work in church and beyond. While Detroit is hailed as one of the capital cities of Black gospel music, churches such as Hartford and the C.M.E. and A.M.E. churches my family grew up in were noted for their great diversity in repertoire, inclusive of anthems and spirituals. I was surrounded by all forms of sacred music, and am still beautifully surrounded by it today." It seems that the church is that safe place that artists feel that they can return and just be themselves.
Waddles shared about the church's receptiveness to his successes beyond its four walls. "I am grateful that the churches at which I minister on a regular basis remain supportive of my work within and outside of the sacred space. I do not take this for granted, as such is not always the case. Detroit church, in general, has always been on the cutting edge of musical invention, inviting the inspiration of the "secular" into the "sacred." Of course, the vice-versa has been apparent in the popular music spaces of the city. It is a consistent sharing" Waddles added.
Bradley echoed a very similar sentiment. "My church family has always been very supportive of me. Upon returning home for services or recitals, they treat me with great respect and let me know that they weren’t surprised that I got as far as I did, although I was.”
Hear these great artists in the very space where it all began: THE CHURCH!
MORRIS AND FRIENDS
Click here for concert details
Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 8 PM
Takoma Park Seventh Day Adventist Church
6951 Carroll Ave.
Takoma Park, MD 20912
Curated by Internationally Renowned Bass Morris Robinson, with special guests:
Michelle Bradley, soprano
Brandie Sutton, soprano
John Holiday, countertenor
Aaron Crouch, tenor
Patrick Lundy and the Ministers of Music
with Dr. Brandon Waddles as Music Director
A native of Petersburg, VA, Patrick D. McCoy holds a BM in Vocal Performance from Virginia State University and a MM in Church Music from Shenandoah Conservatory. Formerly the Performing Arts Columnist for Washington Life Magazine, he currently is a freelance writer, publishing articles for several noted publications and organizations, including The Washington Post, Early Music America, Classical Music Voice North America, The Afro-American Newspaper, Prince George’s Suite Magazine, CBS Washington, Examiner.com and Washington Classical Review. He holds membership in the Music Critics Association of North America, National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., American Choral Directors’ Association, Association of Anglican Musicians, a former member of the Shenandoah University Alumni Board of Directors, a member of the Shenandoah University Black Alumni Network, a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and a member of the Sigma Zeta Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America. As an alumnus of Shenandoah, he was named to the Dean’s Circle of the Shenandoah Conservatory Advisory Board. He enters his 7th year as Organist/Choirmaster at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, Zion Parish in Beltsville, MD and is the newly hired Development and Communications Manager for Washington Conservatory of Music in Glen Echo, MD. Patrick is the host of “Across the Arts” both a live and virtual media platform covering the performing arts. Visit http://patrickdmccoy.com and follow him on Facebook and Twitter @PatrickDMcCoy, IG: PDM06. and subscribe to “Across the Arts” on YouTube.
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