Chinese Laborer, 1885
The final program of the Music Institute of Chicago’s excellent series “From all Sides: Paving the Way to America’s Cultural Identity takes place on Sunday, January 24.
This chapter concentrates on the Chinese role in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad and how Eastern tradition influenced culture on the West Coast.
At 4:00 PM, the guest speaker is David Haward Bain, award-winning author of Empire Express and The Old Iron Road: An Epic of Rails, Roads, and the Urge to Go West. In Empire Express, Bain examines the impact of the railroad on the Plains Indians, whose traditional way of life was eradicated by the line. He also deals knowledgeably with the imported Chinese workers, the “Celestials,” who were unsurpassed in their tenacity and work ethic.
For the Old Iron Road, the journey is a more personal narrative. Bain takes his family on a 7,000 miles circuitous journey from Vermont to California visiting sites historical of national and personal history.
There is a concert at 5:00 pm featuring 19th century railroad songs from California, selections from Chinese Opera, and Jon Jang: Island Immigrant Suite No. 2
The film Transcontinental Railroad will be screened at 6:30. Part of the acclaimed American Experience series, this film documents the story of the conception, design, construction and consequence of the enterprise that literally united as well as redefined America.
The entire program is free, and takes place in the beautiful Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago in Evanston.
The Brotherhood Chorales Remembers Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Brotherhood Chorale at Nichols Hall
On January 17, The Brotherhood Chorale of the Apostolic Church brought their “good news” in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the MIC for the sixth consecutive year. The standing room only crowd was rewarded with an inspired performance by the 150+ voices of the Chorale and their charismatic & passionate conductor, Brian C. Rice.
The performance began with a rousing rendition of How Great is Our God, a contemporary Christian worship song. Soloist Darrell Loving, backed by piano, percussion, keyboard, and a full horn section along with Brotherhood Chorale rocked the MIC with this 2004 Chris Tomlin composition.
Soloists Adam Cowan, Kiel Williams and the Chorale provided a tender and moving version of Silent Night. During the Christmas season, this song often blends into the mix of carols and holiday music. On this night as our thoughts turned to the struggle of Dr. King and the devastation in Haiti, the words “All is Calm, All is Bright” sounded like a prayer. And from the crowd, the cry of a baby seemed to belong in the piece.
Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, who served for forty-eight years as pastor of the Apostolic Church of God and continues on as Pastor Emeritus, spoke about his very personal connection with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Bishop recalled Dr. King preaching from the pulpit of the Apostolic Church of God in the 1960s. Bishop Brazier reminded us all that Dr. King “changed the face of America” and if there had been no Martin Luther King, there would not have been a Barack Obama.
Conductor Rice dedicated the performance of Grace to Bishop Brazier and his wife, Sister Isabelle H. Brazier; making special mention of Sister Brazier’s contribution to the music program of the church, including a Suzuki string program co-sponsored by the MIC.
Sherry Loving performs an interpretive dance
Kiel Williams entranced the audience with his solo I’ll Walk with God. Sherry Loving performed an interpretive jazz/ballet to tune I Can Only Imagine. And soloist Jerome Anderson brought the joyful noise to Daryl Coley’s gospel tune, Bless Your Name, and audience (or at that point, the congregation) stood up and clapped along with the Chorale.
2009 admitted soloist Charles Adams was not the best year, but he declared that in 2010, “we’ll stomp on the devil’s ear.” And the stomping commenced with Take it Back which featured the full band, a thumping bass and some old school soul moves by Adams, Demetrius Chatman, and Conductor Rice.
We sat in the balcony and could hear the sounds of the Brother Chorale as they rose higher and seemed to pass through the domed ceiling of Evanston’s MIC into the January night.
Brian C. Rice, Conductor, with the Brotherhood Choral
