Linda Blackmon penned this release about a recent concert held in partnership with the Immanuel Baptist Church:
On Monday, March 5th, 2012 the Southern New England Tuskegee Alumni Club & Southern Connecticut State University Multicultural Center, in partnership with Immanuel Baptist Church sponsored the Tuskegee University Golden Voices. This memorable event began with Ms. Pamela T. Washington’s introduction of the choir and the determination and commitment that this group of young adults bring.
She expressed the interest and drive she had when she joined this choir and expressed the importance of dedication and commitment. Thirty years later she continues to be proud to be a part of a history that denotes determination, commitment and patience. As she was proud to announce The Golden Voices, the audience waited with an urge to be fulfilled with history, as our “young” reintroduced the audience to our heritage.
As they were announced, they walked into the sanctuary with an eagerness to bring forth a lesson in song, worship, fellowship and unity. They were poised, confident and smiled with an assurance that the audience was as ready to hear them as they were to deliver.
They began with Roland M. Carter’s rendition of the Negro National Anthem; they sang familiar songs, yet introduced songs of the past, that were heard for the first time by some. They sang hymns, The Anthem Contemporaries, The Spiritual: Giants, The Work Song and Fight Song, The Spiritual Contemporaries, Jazz and Gospel!
The lady of the evening Ms. Amber Monroe with the support of the choir reminded us of our Father, as she sang Precious Lord. This was truly the highlight of the evening. The most impressive song was De Profundis, as they sang in French. Mr. Wayne A. Barr, the Music Director led this choir to multiple levels of music and his hands were the only instruments as they followed him note for note just watching the movement of his hands.
The Golden Voices redefined the meaning of music as a universal language as they continue to make history. This event surely enriched the lives of all who attended through song and to end it with the Tuskegee school song written by Paul Lawrence Dunbar gave an everlasting picture of the history that will forever be today. “Hehlehlooyah”!