DR. JOHN WESLEY WRIGHT Songs of COURAGE, FREEDOM …

Songs of Songs of COURAGE, FREEDOM & & JUSTICE

FEATURING

Wright Studio QuartetJay Copeland, tenorPatrick Gover, baritoneAnnabell Midley, contralto Dr. John Wesley Wright, tenor

PianistVeronica Tomanek

In Celebration of African American History and Culture and in the Spirit of Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism

www.salisbury.eduFilmed January 30, 2021 | Asbury United Methodist Church1401 Camden Avenue | Salisbury, MD 21801

For streaming access code visit www.showtix4u.com

Video Streaming On Demand: February 13, 8 p.m. - February 20, 11 p.m.

Photo credit: Unsplash

DR. JOHN WESLEY WRIGHTPresents

D E P A R T M E N T O F M U S I C , T H E A T R E & D A N C E

PROGRAM

On January 6, 2021, we witnessed a harrowing act of violent extremism

as insurgents stormed and breached our Capitol Building. It was a sobering

reminder that there is still much to be done in the areas of freedom, justice and

the pursuit of happiness for ALL. We dedicate this program to those who have

fought and continue to fight the good fight – from the enslaved to the armed

services, Freedom Rider to first responder, journalist to peaceful protester. We

honor especially those who have fallen due to the senseless actions of others –

Ahmaud Arbery, Anton Black, Philando Castile, George Floyd, Eric Garner,

Atatiana Jefferson, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott,

Officer Brian Sicknick, Alton Sterling, Breonna Taylor …

the list goes on and on.

We present this program for you.

– Dr. John Wesley Wright, Artistic Director

“It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times

in which we live.”

– Nina Simone

Songs of Courage, Freedom & JusticeWright Studio QuartetVideo Streaming On Demand: February 13, 8 p.m. - February 20, 11 p.m.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere

ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

– Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Songs of Songs of COURAGE, FREEDOM & & JUSTICE

Woke Up This Morning ......................................Freedom Song, adapt. Robert Wesby

John Wesley Wright, Lead

Activist preacher Robert Wesby of Aurora, IL, was arrested during the 1961 Freedom Rides. While incarcerated in the Hinds County jail in Mississippi, Reverend Wesby revamped the old gospel tune “Woke Up This Morning with My Mind Stayed on Jesus” and created “Woke Up This Morning with My Mind Stayed on Freedom.”

Everybody Ought to Know .........Freedom Song, arr. Ysäye M. Barnwell, adapt. Wright


The origins of this piece, while not definitive, clearly descend from the traditional gospel song “Everybody Ought to Know Who Jesus Is.” And the roots of that song

are firmly tied to a hymn titled “Every Moment of the Day,” credited to Harry Dixon Loes. Do not be deceived by the jaunty character of this ditty. With the simple insertion of a relevant word, this call-and-response packs a powerful political punch.

DR. JOHN WESLEY WRIGHT

Presents

DR. JOHN WESLEY WRIGHT

Presents

PROGRAM

Wade in de Water ....................................Traditional Spiritual, arr. Harry T. Burleigh

Patrick Gover, Baritone

This powerful melody was first published by John Wesley II and Frederick J. Work in New Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1901. It is arguably the most

recognized spiritual because of its myriad musical settings and links to the Underground Railroad. Whether for general warning or specific direction, the lyrics

are thought to have helped Harriet Tubman assist others to their freedom.

Run, Mary, Run .......................................Traditional Ring Shout, arr. Wright, Midley

Annabell Midley, Lead

The ring shout is believed to be the oldest surviving African American song tradition in North America. The simple polyrhythm associated with the ring shout,

a long-long-short pattern over a steady beat, is heard in music genres across the globe, particularly in popular music culture. Inspired by the ring shout

“Run, Mary, Run,” this arrangement pays homage to those whose tree of life was cut down all too soon and honors America’s preeminent ring shouters, the

McIntosh County Shouters of Bolden (aka Briar Patch), GA.

“You have struck down only the trunk of the tree,

but it will spring up again from the roots,

for they are numerous and deep.”

– Toussaint Louverture

“I’ll tell you what Freedom is to me: No Fear!

I mean, really – No Fear!”

– Nina Simone

“Face the wall with the dark closed gate,

Beat with bare, brown fists

– And wait.”

– Langston Hughes

“The stars were only sparks of the fire which devoured us.

Should that fire die out one day, there would be nothing left in the sky

but dead stars, dead eyes.”

– Elie Wiesel

Joshua Fit da Battle of Jericho ....................Traditional Spiritual, arr. Margaret Bonds

Annabell Midley, Contralto

The implications gleaned from walls tumbling down, due to trumpets blowing no less, are undeniably germane to the now. I maintain that music has the power to do just that – make the walls that divide us come tumbling down. At the end of

this arrangement, we have extended that downward imagery to the voice, not only to word paint, but to highlight the depth and richness of Miss Midley’s voice.

My Lord, What a Mornin’ ......Traditional Spiritual, arr. Wright, Copeland, Tomanek

Jay Copeland & John Wesley Wright, Tenors

Morning or Mourning? That is the question. Both spellings appear in mid-18th and early 19th century slave song publications, and hymnological scholarship makes its

case for each. It is also notable that this melody was composed in the North and made its way to the South instead of the other way around, according to premier African American music scholar Eileen Southern. But it was the song’s profound

imagery and justice-laden lyrics that spoke to the Civil Rights Movement.


PROGRAM

Give Me Jesus ....................................................Traditional Spiritual, arr. Mark Hayes

Jay Copeland, Tenor

I am a proud,15-year member of the professional touring group the American Spiritual Ensemble (ASE). The main mission of the ensemble is

to keep the African American spiritual alive. One of the unique components of an ASE concert is the featuring of soloists performing their signature solos. One such

solo is “Give Me Jesus,” sung by Calesta “Callie” Day, a longtime friend, colleague and former student of mine. It is Callie Day’s transcendent rendering

of the song that inspires this performance by Jay Copeland.

Through all the sorrow of the Sorrow Songs there breathes a hope –

a faith in the ultimate justice of things.

– W.E.B. Du Bois

Calypso Freedom .................................Traditional Jamaican Folk Song, adapt. Wright


Popular culture and the Civil Rights Movement intersect in this piece which borrows directly from “The Banana Boat Song” (Day-O). Both versions were made famous by

social justice icons, Willie Peacock and Harry Belafonte, respectively. Prompted by Mr. Peacock’s Freedom Song verses, I devised new lyrics to reflect today’s climate.

“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented

in the history of the world, but then you read.”

– James Baldwin

The Storm Is Passing Over ...........Charles Albert Tindley, arr. Wright Studio Quartet

This classic hymn was first published in Tindley’s collection Soul Echoes. That version, however, has been long overshadowed by a gospel quartet-style

arrangement. In true oral tradition spirit, I taught this song to the Wright Studio Quartet as it was taught to me by a friend in undergraduate school

(Maryville College) circa 1983. At that time, I sang it as part of a trio. We’ve added the bass line and a few modern gestures for flavor.

Witness ........................................................................arr. Hall Johnson, adapt. Wright

John Wesley Wright, Tenor

If there is one thing I have learned from the events of January 6 and the divisive, conspiracy-driven rhetoric of the last five years, it is that people have vastly different views of what it means to be a “witness” for their Lord. Through this old spiritual

narrative, I challenge us to claim a new paradigm – one of peace, justice and reconciliation versus the all-too-prevalent actualities of systemic racism, violence,

oppression, poverty, inequality and disinformation that exist in our world.

“History has shown us that courage can be contagious,

and hope can take on a life of its own.”

– Michelle Obama

“‘I can’t believe what you say,’ the song goes,

‘because I see what you do.’”

– James Baldwin (referencing an Ike Turner song)


Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around ......... Freedom Song, adapt. W.S. Quartet

Widely used in mass arrests and demonstrations in the 1960s, this protest song is derived from the old spiritual “Don’t Let Nobody Turn You Around,” first printed

and recorded in the 1920s. The simple insertion of words reflecting the current climate makes it, like all the other songs, just as pertinent today.

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize ................. Freedom Song, adapt. Wright Studio Quartet

“Gospel Plow,” “Hold On,” “Keep Your Hands on the Plow.” Those are some of the names given to the old spiritual from which this song derived. It became a staple song for marches and rallies with its lyrics beseeching us to “Hold On”

during times of struggle, chaos and oppression.

PROGRAM

“The most dangerous creation of any society

is the man who has nothing to lose.”

– James Baldwin

“In spite of everything, I still believe that

people are really good at heart.”

– Anne Frank

We Shall Overcome ............................................ arr. Wright Studio Quartet, Tomanek

Whether you hear it referred to it as a spiritual, gospel or hymn, this final Freedom Song has a remarkable musical evolution and rich history with ties to

the Eastern Shore composer Charles Albert Tindley. The melody has rendezvoused with the likes of such socially conscious folk artists as Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Guy Carawan and Odetta, and was a key anthem to Labor and Civil Rights

Movements. A song with a diversity of lyrics, we reflect musically on our chosen verses (We Shall Overcome, We Shall Live in Peace, We Are Not Afraid and

We Shall All Be Free) and contemplate the immense sacrifices courageous people have made, past and present, for our collective freedom and justice.

Thank you for your support!

Songs of COURAGE, FREEDOM & JUSTICE was filmed January 30, 2021 at Asbury United Methodist Church From L to R: Veronica Tomanek, Annabell Midley Patrick Gover, Jay Copeland, Dr. John Wesley Wright


MUSICIAN BIOGRAPHIES The Wright Studio Quartet, sometimes a duo, trio or small ensemble, was conceived by Dr. John Wesley Wright as an avenue for students to learn and perform different African American song genres in the oral tradition. The group has set the tone for many notable on-campus events, such as Paul Loeb’s “Why Engaged Citizenship Matters” lecture and Holocaust Memorial Day, and distinguished off-campus occasions, such as a Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture board meeting and the Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass statue unveiling ceremony February 2020 before Governor Larry Hogan, state officials and a standing-room-only crowd at the State House Rotunda.

Jay Copeland, tenor, is a native of Salisbury, MD. A 2020 Salisbury University graduate with degrees in music and theatre, he is the reigning National NATS Student Auditions Senior Men’s Musical Theatre Champion. During his time at SU, he played the roles of Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Seaweed in Hairspray and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. Copeland was runner-up and recipient of a $500 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship awarded at the Kennedy Center America College Theatre Festival in 2018. He also received the award for Vocal Excellence given by the Voice and Speech Trainers Association.

Patrick Gover, baritone, just completed a dual degree in music and theatre and plans to walk in the May 2021 graduation ceremony. He made his first vocal appearances at SU on an American Spiritual Ensemble master class and in the French program La Bonne Cuisine and since portrayed the roles of Link in Hairspray, Ensemble in Midsummer Night’s Dream and Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar. He is a 2020 National NATS Senior Men’s Student Auditions Semifinalist in the musical theatre category and winner of numerous state and regional awards. Gover hails from Clarksville, MD, and recently earned credit for a bit part in the film Wonder Woman 1984.

Annabell Midley, contralto, is a senior double majoring in communication - public relations and strategic communication track - and interdisciplinary studies - music business emphasis. She is also a French minor. Annabell has been an applied voice student throughout her time at the university and featured on numerous concerts, including From Ship to Shore: 400 Years of Human Resilience Through Music. Involved in a plethora of SU organizations and causes, she is also director of the SU Gospel Choir, leader and manager of the Coastal Youth Worship Team in Ocean City, MD, and assistant director of children’s choir at her church. Annabell is the recipient of a 2017 Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence given by the United States Marines Youth Foundation, Inc.

Veronica Tomanek is staff pianist/coach for the Wright Voice Studio in the Department of Music, Theater and Dance at Salisbury University. She also serves as the music director at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Salisbury. Tomanek has taught at the University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University and Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. She frequently performs throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England as a chamber musician, piano and organ soloist, choral director, music director for musical theater productions, and accompanist. She held the post of principal pianist/keyboardist with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra for 16 years. She also has performed with the United States Coast Guard Band and Chamber Players, the Silver Bay Quartet, and with many other instrumentalists, vocalists and choral groups. She has a Master of Music in piano performance from the University of Connecticut and a diploma in piano performance from the Rouen Conservatory, Rouen, France. She lives in Salisbury, MD.

John Wesley Wright, artistic director/tenor, holds degrees from Maryville College and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, where he earned the M.M. and D.M.A. in performance studies. A native of Rome, GA, he works as associate professor of music at Salisbury University, coordinating the voice and opera programs, and producing special singer showcases such as From Ship to Shore: 400 Years of Human Resilience Through Music, a program recognizing 400 years of slavery in North America. An active clinician and leader of workshops on voice production, interpretation and African American song traditions, he also co-directed the musical theatre program at the Maryland Summer Center of the Arts (2007-2014). He performs solo repertoire ranging from baroque to Broadway throughout the world, including as a member of the internationally celebrated American Spiritual Ensemble. Acclaim has also come as gold medalist of the American Traditions Vocal Competition 2000, with other top prizes from the National Federation of Music Clubs, the Metropolitan Opera National Council and the International Schubert Competition. His doctoral dissertation (2014) examines musical borrowings underlying the role of the Celebrant in Bernstein’s Mass.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSDr. Charles A. Wight, President, Salisbury University

Dr. Karen Olmstead, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic AffairsDr. Maarten Pereboom, Dean, Fulton School of Liberal Arts

Joan Williams, Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Vice President, Office of Diversity and InclusionJohn Raley, Co-Chair, Department of Music, Theatre and Dance

Colleen Clark, Co-Chair, Department of Music, Theatre and DanceBrooke Church, Department of Music, Theatre and DanceSally Choquette, Department of Music, Theatre and Dance

Information Technology, Purchasing, General Accounting, Copy Center, Publications, Public Relations & Event Services

SPECIAL THANKS TOAsbury United Methodist Church, Les Lentz Audio/Video,

Charles H. Chipman Cultural Center, SU Gospel Choir, Student Affairs, Dr. and Mrs. Wallace Southerland III, Kellyn’s Kafe & Bruce Nelson Glover

If you would like to make a donation to support other performances like this one, please make your check payable to the Performing Arts Fund,

specifying the organization in the memo line and mail in care of the Salisbury University Foundation, Inc. at P.O. Box 2655, Salisbury, MD 21802.

Please call 410-543-6385 for information regarding upcoming Department of Music, Theatre and Dance performances.

For more information about our academic program, please visit us at www.salisbury.edu/performingarts.

Department of Music, Theatre and DanceFulton School of Liberal Arts

Salisbury University| 1101 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, MD 21801Phone: 410-543-6385 | Fax: 410-548-3002 | Email: [email protected]

This event is made possible, in part, through the generous endowment of the Late Charles R. & Martha N. Fulton.

SU is an Equal Opportunity/AA/Title IX university and provides reasonable accommodation given sufficient notice to the University office or staff sponsoring the event or program.

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DR. JOHN WESLEY WRIGHT Songs of COURAGE, FREEDOM …