Southeastern Chorale to present 'Lift Every Voice: Music of the Black Gospel and Spiritual Tradition’

Staff reports
·1 min read
This concert is the first of two events celebrating the life of the late Dr. Stacy Weger, long-time choral conductor at Southeastern.
This concert is the first of two events celebrating the life of the late Dr. Stacy Weger, long-time choral conductor at Southeastern.

The Southeastern Oklahoma State University Chorale has been planning for a performance to honor Black gospel music. The performance, “Lift Every Voice: Music of the Black Gospel and Spiritual Tradition” will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 21 in the Fine Arts Recital Hall of the school.

The concert is free and open to the public.

"This diverse program will celebrate black gospel choral music in all its forms, spanning over a century of style and tradition," a news release about the event said. "The performance will also include several traditional African-American spirituals, which heavily influenced later Gospel music."

This concert is the first of two events celebrating the life of the late Stacy Weger, long-time choral conductor at SOSU.

“We knew we were going to perform the Gospel Mass (by Robert Ray) that following weekend, along with many alums and friends, as a memorial for Dr. Weger," Chorale Activities Director Abby Musgrove said. "That was the piece Dr. Weger was working on before he retired in 2020, and he never got to perform it. Gospel music was dear to his heart, and we thought that along with the Mass we could also explore the style further, with a whole concert of this wonderful music.”

Songs to be performed include "Abide with me," "Total Praise," "Up to the Mountain" and "Sing a Song" by Earth, Wind and Fire.

This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: Southeastern Chorale to present “Lift Every Voice: Music of the Black Gospel and Spiritual Tradition’’