Arthur D. Beard III Thesis
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University School of Music Trends in the Gospel Music Ensemble Experience: Establishing the Precedent and Need for Inclusion of Gospel Choir Ensemble Experience and Pedagogy into the Collegiate Level Music Curriculum A Thesis Project Submitted to The Faculty of Liberty University School of Music In Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Music Education By Arthur D. Beard III Lynchburg, Virginia April 30, 2021 ii Copyright © 2021 by Arthur D. Beard III All Rights Reserved. iii Liberty University School of Music THESIS APPROVAL SHEET Trends in the Gospel Music Ensemble Experience: Establishing the Precedent and Need for Inclusion of Gospel Choir Ensemble Experience and Pedagogy into the Collegiate Level Music Curriculum By Arthur Beard III ________________________________ Vernon M. Whaley, Ph.D., D.W.S., Mentor ________________________________ Eddie Robinson, D.W.S., Reader iv ABSTRACT Trends in the Gospel Music Ensemble Experience: Establishing the Precedent and Need for Inclusion of Gospel Choir Ensemble Experience and Pedagogy into the Collegiate Level Music Curriculum Arthur Beard III Liberty University School of Music, 2021 Mentor: Dr. Vernon M. Whaley Reader: Dr. Eddie Robinson During the late 1990s, gospel music emergence in secondary schools and colleges brought a new awareness of a dynamic change in social-cultural, peer-relations, and many educational sector activities in America. Gospel music is part of the musical tapestry in the United States arts community. The music genre shapes, frames, and reflects the worship-life and faith expression in most African-American churches. The nature of gospel music itself encourages teachers to introduce it as a meaningful, albeit alternative genre in music education curriculum and teaching experiences. This study aims to articulate the significance of integrating gospel music ensemble into the college music curriculum and teaching experience. The study will use descriptive and historical research methodology for establishing the need for including gospel music in the collegiate level curriculum and developing guidelines for appropriate learning outcomes, the scope of gospel music repertoire, and gospel music ensemble pedagogy. The study will also outline and demonstrate the benefit the gospel choir ensemble has for university and college educational, social, public relations, and marketing programs. Keywords: Gospel music, gospel music style, gospel choir, gospel music form, pedagogy, improvisation, vamp. v Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents Janice L. Beard and Arthur Beard. vi Acknowledgements First, I have to give glory and honor to God who always causes me to triumph in all my ways. He could have chosen anyone. But he chose me to do work for him. Second, I want to acknowledge my loving mother Janice L. Beard who bought me my first Piano and Music Theory Books. Third, special acknowledgement is extended to my Thesis Mentor, Dr. Vernon M. Whaley, for his multiple hours of editing, counsel, encouragement and mentorship; and, Thesis Reader, Dr. Eddie Robinson, for his encouragement and guidance in the writing process. Fourth, additional acknowledgement goes to: • Dr. Bernard Williams, former Director of Concert Choir, The Golden Voices, College Organist, and Professor in the Division of Education at Miles College. • Bishop Kevin P. Turner, Founding Director of The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Gospel Choir. May you continue to Rest in Peace knowing that your legacy lives on through me and many other UABGC Alum. “Everybody Ought To Know Who Jesus Is”! vii Contents Thesis Project Approval Sheet . ii Abstract . iv Dedication. v Acknowledgements. vi Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Background of Topic . 1 The Emerging Use of Gospel Choir in Higher Education. 4 The Problem . 4 The Purpose . 5 Significance of Study . 5 The Methodology . 6 The Limitations . 6 Structure and Organization . 6 Definition of Terms. 8 Chapter 2: Literature Review & Related Research . 10 Related Research: The History of Gospel Choir . 10 Research Related: Gospel Choir in Music Education . 17 Related Research: Pedagogy for Gospel Choir . 25 Chapter 3: Historical Precedent of Gospel Choir in America. 33 Introduction . 33 African American Sacred Song Prior to 1850 . 34 African American Sacred Song from 1850 – 1910 . 36 viii Gospel Choir from 1910 - 1970 . 39 Gospel Choir from 1970 - 2000 . 46 Gospel Choir from 2000 - 2020 . 47 Conclusion . 48 Chapter 4: The Precedent, Purposes, Function and Need of Gospel Choir in Education 52 Introduction . 52 Background, Precedent and Need for Gospel Choir in Music Education . 52 The Function of Gospel Choir in The Black Church . 55 The Purposes of Gospel Choir in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) . 57 The Need for Gospel Choir as an Extra-Curricular Activity in Music Education . 66 The Need for Gospel Choir in Collegiate Level Music Education Curriculum . 73 Conclusion . 83 Chapter 5: The Need for Developing a Gospel Choir Ensemble Pedagogy . 85 Introduction . 85 The Purpose of Providing a Gospel Choir Ensemble Pedagogy. 87 The Processes & Performance Practices a Gospel Choir Pedagogy Should Address . 95 Conclusion . 107 Chapter 6: Summary and Conclusion . 108 Organizational Summary of the Research Study . 108 Significance of the Study . 108 Problem Statement . 109 Research Questions . 109 Methodology and Limitations. 110 ix Structure and Organization for each Chapter . 110 Significant Findings and Discoveries. 112 Significant Contributions . 116 Recommendations for Future Research . 117 Concluding Summary . 118 Bibliography. 119 Appendix A: Defense PowerPoint Presentation . 124 1 CHAPTER ONE: Introduction The purpose of this study is to articulate the significance and need of integrating gospel music ensemble into the college music curriculum and teaching experience. The study establishes the historical precedent of Gospel Choir in America, the precedent, purpose, function and need for using Gospel Choir in the collegiate level curriculum with appropriate learning outcomes and gospel choir ensemble pedagogy. The study will also outline and demonstrate the potential benefit Gospel Choir has for university and college educational, social, public relations, and marketing programs. Background of Topic During the late 1990s, gospel music, and in particular the Gospel Choir’s emergence in secondary schools and colleges brought dynamic changes in social-cultural, peer-relations, and many educational sector activities in America. Gospel music in general is part of the musical tapestry in the United States arts community. The history of gospel music genres dates back to pre-18th century singing schools. During this time, the phrase and oral traditions were popular methods of music education in the church. The white and black congregations used hymns of famous writers like Isaac Watts, Charles, and John Wesley. The camp meeting sings related to the Great Awakening of 1800 promoted congregational singing. By 1800, camp meetings’ the folk-music style combined with texts expressing personal faith in God to form a sacred music style, which became a precursor of gospel music. From 1840 onwards, new songs emerged and integrated into the camp, meeting rivals, the American Sunday school movement, and the city revivals. The songs facilitated the 2 presentation of camp meeting songs to the public outside the church setting. The songs led to the promotion of evangelical theory to children.1 Between 1850 and 1910, there were gospel music sub-genres that emerged in the American church. They included traditional gospel music, southern gospel music, and African American gospel music. Traditional gospel music emerged from the German art song, which had a stanza followed by a chorus, with less emphasis on the rhythm. Some of the critical writers of this music genre were Fanny Crosby, Ralph E. Hudson, and Philip Bliss. Southern gospel music emerged from the fa-sol-la singing school tradition. African American gospel music was highly rhythmic and established on spontaneous solos and improvised vocal counterpoint. African American gospel is “a much vaster range of emotion, vocal color, and rhythmic energy,”2 This rooted in older European singing, preaching, and clapping traditions and exclusively proclaims “the gospel” of the.