Cal Performances Presents Program Saturday, April , , pm PROGRAM Zellerbach Hall Sweet Honey in the Rock Sweet Honey in the Rock INTERMISSION Indaba Indaba (West Coast Premiere) (West Coast Premiere) featuring Indaba Prayer Sweet Honey in the Rock Indaba Sweet Honey in the Rock Everyone Ysaye Maria Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, Aisha Kahlil, Member of the World Community Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, Shirley Childress Saxton OSA Youth Chorus Soloist Chastity Hinson Trio CyLena Granger, Shynell Blanson, Pacifi c Mozart Ensemble Chastity Hinson Dr. Lynne Morrow, music director Rapper Genesis Sanchez Questions Oakland School of the Arts Youth Choir OSA Youth Chorus Melanie DeMore, guest conductor Soloist Destiny Cornett Spoken Word Genesis Sanchez with Vision for Tomorrow Pacifi c Mozart Ensemble Ravi Abcarian bass Soloists Lark Coryell, Angie Doctor, Cindy Lau, Valerie L. Brown vocal soloist Kim Keeton, Alexis Jensen Ginitta Glass djembe Vocal Percussion Greg Lee and John Stenzel Savannah Harris drums Get Along Trente Morant piano, keyboards, vocal soloist Soloists Valerie L. Brown, Trente Morant Rosetta Saunders djembe, dun dun Daughter Shynell Blanson Son Merkell Williams Keyboard Kymry Esainko Joy in the Morning Cal Performances’ – season is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. Everyone Soloist CyLena Granger 12 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 13 Program Notes Choral Rosters Indaba Pacifi c Mozart Ensemble Oakland School for the Arts Youth Choir Indaba (in-dä´bä´) is a Zulu word from South Africa of the World Community” and then raise the Richard Grant, artistic director Letia Nichols, head of the vocal program meaning to bring together the right people…at the “Questions” that all youth raise. Th e teenagers in Lynne Morrow, music director Branice McKenzie, conductor Kymry Esainko, accompanist Melanie DeMore, guest conductor right time…to ask the right questions…in order dialogue with their parents try to fi gure out wheth- to arrive at the right answers. It is an invitation to er it is possible for them to “Get Along,” particular- Soprano Soprano gather for the telling of our stories. ly as they try to share their “Vision of Tomorrow.” Lorna Baird Amber Long Th is Indaba is a choral work composed by the Th e entire community (including the audience) is Becca Burrington Anna Chernock members of Sweet Honey in the Rock in . It invited to come together in the fi nal song celebrat- Josie Diaz Cecilia Garner was commissioned by the Washington Performing ing “Joy in the Morning.” Angie Doctor Debriana Cannon Arts Society for the Men and Women of the Gospel Th e music of Indaba represents the diversity of Kathie Longinotti Destiny Cornett and the Children of the Gospel in Washington, the African-American community and combines a Mari Marjamaa India Harris Amelie Mel de Fontenay Kylah Webster D.C., in celebration of its th anniversary and full spectrum of musical styles of from the Sweet Miranda Buddington its work in bringing art and community together. Honey pallet, including the traditional long me- Alto Phan Tran Th e work, in seven movements, is a musical dia- ter hymn form of Black congregations, “classical” Valerie Brown logue between youth and their elders. It begins choral forms set against rhythms from the African Annette Cayot Alto with a “Prayer,” performed by Sweet Honey, ask- Diaspora, choral jazz, rap and gospel. Lark Coryell Chetina Hunter ing that the community be blessed with children. Sweet Honey thanks you for being part of the Elisabeth Eliassen Shynell Blanson Th e prayer is followed by an affi rmation from the Indaba community and for participating in this Polly Winograd Ikonen Tiana Young elders to the youth that “We Believe in You.” Th e evening’s dialogue. Alexis Lane Jensen CyLena Granger Kim Keeton youth then affi rm that though they may be young, Enjoy! Claudia Landivar Tenor they understand that they are each a “Members Cindy Lau Anais Kane Gretchen Nicholson Merkell Williams Peggy Rock Eiji Miura Antonia Van Becker Sukay Sow Briana Lovelace Tenor Jenese Brewer Doug Boyd Chastity Hinson Victor Floyd Eric Freeman Baritone Bryan Matheson Kevon Towner Larry Moore John Paddock Spoken Word Larry Rose Genesis Sanchez Ben Scott Kevin Smith Bass Steve Bicknese Tom Carpender Kymry Esainko Dale Engle Jim Hale Gene Hern Don Kelley Greg Lee Jeremy Litwin John Stenzel Jeff Watts 14 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 15 About the Artists About the Artists Founded by Bernice Johnson Reagon in at the Dr. Ysaye M. Nitanju Bolade PBS fi lm series Africans in America, produced D.C. Black Repertory Th eater Company, Sweet Barnwell is a na- Casel fi rst came by WGBH-TV. “Fulani Chant” was included in Honey in the Rock, internationally renowned tive New Yorker to Sweet Honey Climb Against the Odds benefi t recording for Breast a cappella ensemble, has been a vital and innova- now living in in the Rock after Cancer Funds and the fi lm score for Down in the tive presence in the music culture of Washington, Washington, D.C., four years of study- Delta, directed by Maya Angelou. Recently added D.C., and in communities of conscience around where, since , ing, performing to her acting credits is her debut appearance in the world. Now in her fourth decade, the Grammy she has performed and cultural orga- Beloved, directed by Jonathan Demme. Ms. Kahlil Award-winning ensemble moves forward, fol- with theinterna- nizing in Dakar, composed the closing song for the American lowing Bernice Johnson Reagon’s retirement in tionally acclaimed Senegal, where she Bible Society video featuring Sweet Honey in the February , continuing the legacy begun a cappella quintet, co-founderd, with Rock. She also composed and performed original years ago. Sweet Honey in the Marie Guinier, music for the fi lm Freedom Song, starring Danny From Psalm : comes the promise to a Rock. She appears ADEA (Artistes des Glover and directed by Phil Robinson with music people of being fed by honey out of the rock. as a vocalist and/or instrumentalist on more than Echanges Africaines). Dedicated to the exchange by Sweet Honey in the Rock and James Horner, Honey: an ancient substance, sweet and nurtur- recordings with Sweet Honey and other artists. of ideas and services between African of the di- and appeared with Sweet Honey in the Rock as- ing. Rock: an elemental strength, enduring the Dr. Barnwell spends much of her time off stage as aspora, ADEA worked in alliance with local art- guest artist on the TNT special A Tribute to Joni winds of time. Th e metaphor of sweet honey in the a master teacher and clinician in cultural perfor- ists, the National Council of Negro Women, the Mitchell. She is currently at work on a recording rock captures completely these African-American mance theory and voice production. Her work- National Th eatre Daniel Sorano, the University of project featuring her original compositions and women, whose repertoire is steeped in the sacred shop, Building a Vocal Community: Singing in the Dakar, Air Afrique radio (O.R.T.S.) and television arrangements. music of the Black church, the clarion calls of the African American Tradition, has been conducted all programming, the Schomberg Center for Research civil rights movement, and songs of the struggle for over the United States, Great Britain and Australia, and Development, and the late Dr. Ewart Guinier Carol Maillard was justice everywhere. making her work in the fi eld a real source of inspi- of Harvard University. Ms. Casel has brought the born and raised in Rooted in a deeply held commitment to create ration for her performances on stage. improvisational rhythms of hip-hop and jazz to Philadelphia, Penn- music out of the rich textures of African-American While her -year study of the violin begin- Sweet Honey in the Rock’s palette since her arrival sylvania, and attend- legacy and traditions, Sweet Honey in the Rock ning at age two was the foundation of her musi- in . She is currently co-director, with her sister, ed Catholic Univer- possesses a stunning vocal prowess that captures cal career, Dr. Barnwell holds bachelor and master Aisha Kahlil, of First World Productions, a cultural sity of America in the complex sounds of blues, spirituals, tradi- of science degrees in speech pathology, a doctor of and educational organization in the performance Washington, D.C., tional gospel hymns, rap, reggae, African chants, philosophy in cranio-facial studies and a master of arts. Ms. Casel made her fi lm debut appearance in where she studied hip-hop, ancient lullabies and jazz improvisation. science in public health. She was, for years, a Beloved, directed by Jonathan Demme. violin and theater. Sweet Honey’s collective voice, occasionally ac- professor at the College of Dentistry at Howard She began her per- companied by hand percussion instruments, pro- University, and in addition administered and im- Aisha Kahlil joined formance career duces a sound fi lled with soulful harmonies and plemented community health projects. the group in . As at the D.C. Black intricate rhythms. Dr. Barnwell is a commissioned composer an experienced jazz Repertory Th eater as a member of the professional In the best and in the hardest of times, Sweet and arranger who has worked on numerous and vocalist and African company. Carol has worked extensively both on Honey in the Rock has come in song to communi- varied dance, choral, fi lm, video, theater and re- dance and song artist, and off Broadway, in many national and interna- ties across the United States and around the world, cording projects. In addition to these endeavors, she has moved Sweet tional tours, on TV and in fi lm. She has produced, raising her voice in hope, love, justice, peace and Dr.