Celebrated American composer and singer Dr. Ysaye Barnwell presented to a full house of Arts for the Aging Teaching Artists, Quicksilver senior improv dancers, and guests at this year’s final workshop in our Teaching Artist Institute. Known for her 34 years singing and recording with Sweet Honey in the Rock, Dr. Barnwell has, for nearly as long, spent time off stage working as a master teacher and choral clinician in African American cultural performance. Her workshop “Building a Vocal Community®: Singing in the African American Tradition” has been conducted on three continents. Her work in the field is a significant source of inspiration for both singers and non-singers alike, and is a model of pedagogy for educators, cultural activists, and historians. During the workshop, Dr. Barnwell sang spirituals and gospel music and instructed on these pillars of African American tradition. The oral tradition of music-sharing lends itself well to older practitioners who may not be able to read or recall music and lyrics. Mixing singing exercises and Q&A during the afternoon, Dr. Barnwell elevated our wisdom and inspired us to take forward Spirituals, “they are the art song,” into Arts for the Aging’s community-wide programs. Not to be relegated to a singular musical interest she quipped, “Rap is our newspaper,” as she stays relevant to the changing voices of our times. We express heartfelt thanks to Levine Music for hosting our workshop.
