Songs of the Spirit: Gospel, Spirituals, Jazz, Chants & Art Songs About Us |
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REJOICENSEMBLE!
SPIRITUALS & GOSPEL MUSIC... CHORAL GROUP...
PERFORMANCE ARTISTS IN THE A CAPPELLA TRADITION
Rejoicensemble! ...About Us
We are a unique vocal chamber ensemble that specializes in the music of the a cappella tradition. Rejoicensemble! sings gospel, spirituals, sacred jazz, chants, and art songs. We are an internationally recognized performance group with featured performances on CDs, cassettes, film, and video.
Established in 1984 by Carl MaultsBy, Rejoicensemble, Inc., a not-for-profit, tax exempt organization, is dedicated to commissioning and performing works by contemporary African American composers, the preservation and performance of African American music, as well as other music of the African Diaspora, and increasing the public awareness of the cultural significance of music of the Pan-African experience.
PUBLICITY & NEWSWORTHY
Rejoicensemble! has been cited by the New York media (New York Newsday, WNBC-TV, WCBS-TV, Routes Magazine) for its pioneering work in the area of sacred jazz. The company's Sacred Jazz Concerts which have featured international jazz artist, Dianne Reeves, have become a biennial New York event. Rejoicensemble! is featured on "Worship God in Spirit and in Truth," a track from the Jay Hoggard CD, Love is the Answer.
Most recently, the company performed at the 1998 Goodwill Games and on WABC-TV Eyewitness News for its concerts in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rejoicesemble! has also been featured in The New York Times on, Fox Cable Network News and WNBC-TV's "Positively Black" for its annual concert of Christmas Music of the African Diaspora. Currently, the ensemble is artist-in-residence at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery, NYC.
MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
In addition, Rejoicensemble! has been a champion of new music of African American composers writing in various styles. Some recent Rejoicensemble! programs have included:
The 1996 Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center production,
"A Salute to the New York City African American Composer" which featured:
- Billy Taylor's "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free,"
- Anthony Davis' "My Name Is Shabazz" from his opera,
X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X- Joseph Joubert's "Spiritual Suite,"
- Jewel Taylor Thompson's "They Call Her Mother"
The world premieres of:
- Shelton Becton's "Glory to the Lord"
- Kenwood Dennard's "Million Man Song."
Other composers featured by Rejoicensemble! include:
- William Foster McDaniel "Don't Go 'Round" (1999)
- Linda Twine "A Song of Unity" (1998)
- Howard Roberts "The Dunbar Lyrics (1998)
- Coleridge Taylor Perkinson "Buked Again" (1994)
- David Baker "Status Symbol" (1994)
- Lena McLin "Free at Last: Portrait of Martin Luther King" (1994)
- Dianne Reeves "Passageway" (1993)
- Baikida Carroll "He Will Never Let You Down" (1991)
Special Performance Events
Notable Rejoicensemble! programs include:
"The Brotherhood Concerts" with Quintet of the Americas (1998)
Rejoicensemble! has also performed at
Each year Rejoicensemble! sponsors a Community Concert Series in which the ensemble performs at metropolitan New York City area community centers, senior citizen homes and schools. As part of its residency at St. Mark's Church, the company frequently performs a lecture demonstration concert at St. Mark's for the area public schools. In 1993, the company participated in the Queens Symphony Orchestra sponsored arts-in-education program in which Rejoicensemble! performed at eight schools in Queens. In addition, the ensemble has performed at Spofford Academy, Bronx; Weeksville School, Brooklyn; Jones High School, Orlando, FL; Suffolk County Community College, Brentwood, NY; and Jersey State College, Jersey City, NJ.
Other community appearances by Rejoicensemble! include the African Burial Ground Ceremonies (1994), a free concert featuring MaultsBy's A Sacred Jazz Requiem: Strong and Graceful Oaks as part of The Harlem Week for the Healing of AIDS (1993), the Cathedral of St. John Divine's Martin Luther King Convocation (1993 & 1992).
With the 1994-95 season, Rejoicensemble! celebrated its tenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, the company produced "Rejoice, Celebrate and Sing", a 10 year retrospective concert at B Smith's Rooftop Cafe, NYC; Suffolk Community College, Brentwood, NY; and in the Community Concert Series at Grace Church, Jamaica, NY. In addition, the Arts-in-Education curriculum was introduced at Northern Parkway School, Uniondale, NY; and at Roberto Clemente I. S. 195, Harlem, NYC. The company was also featured in the Aaron Davis Hall International Series.
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Coming MARCH 2004 our NEW CD: THE JAZZ SIDE OF GOSPELFor bookings, you can reach us at: Rejoicensemble! Bookings
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