Concert to honor Black History Month

Composed of 80 or more members, mostly nonmusic majors, the African American Choral Ensemble has vast performance experience. Opening for performers like The Blind Boys of Alabama and Ray Charles and performing throughout the area, the ensemble is much in demand.\n"Our biggest challenge is that the group has so much appeal," said Charles Sykes, administrative director of the African American Arts Institute. "There is an extremely high demand for the group, and it takes a lot of work to make the details work."\nTheir next concert, which commemorates Black History Month, will begin at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow in the Education Atrium and will include a variety of spirituals, contemporary gospel music and modern works by African Americans.\n"Our goal for this performance is to expose students, particularly undergraduate and international students, to music they might never have been exposed to," said Coordinator of Diversity and International Programs Nita Levison. "You don't need a ticket. You don't have to go downtown. We're bringing it to you."\nThe event is sponsored by the Office of the Dean, the Committee on Diversity and the Office of Graduate Studies.\n"All our music is about or references black culture," Ensemble Director James Mumford said. "Our group loves music, particularly gospel." \nThe location of the Education building was a major consideration when choosing the venue for the performance, according to School of Education Dean Gerardo Gonzalez.\n"Noontime seemed to be a time when many students congregate in the atrium area," Gonzalez said. "We felt the atrium would be the perfect area, as it is so large and features a balcony to accommodate more people. Students simply walking through the building will be able to stop and enjoy the performance on their breaks."\nThere are three subgroups of the ensemble. Sojourner is a female group named for famed abolitionist Sojourner Truth. Soul-ACE is a men's gospel group. God's Progress, which comprises male and female singers, also will perform.\n"The program will last about 45 minutes," Mumford said. "Each group of the four groups will have the opportunity to perform several songs they've been working on."\nFounded in 1975 as part of the African American Arts Institute, the ensemble functions as both an academic and performance group in the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, along with the IU Soul Revue and the African American Dance Company.\n"Most students in ACE don't take the course to get credit," Sykes said. "They take it to fill a social purpose not filled by other courses. They take it because they want to."\nAlthough membership is open to all students on the IUB campus regardless of race, ethnicity and experience, auditions are held once each semester and are required for membership. \n"We don't care what race or ethnicity you are, as long as you like the music we sing and the way we sing it," Mumford said. "We have all different skill and experience levels in our group, from those who have been in choirs for years to those who can't read music. The most important thing (in an audition) is enthusiasm and a desire to be a part of the group."\nAlthough the idea of traveling across campus to the Education building may seem daunting to some, Levison said students, faculty and staff should make the effort.\n"The music is very moving, and people love to hear it," she said. "I'll have people coming up to me and thanking me for weeks afterwards. It's just amazing."\n-- Contact Staff Writer Jennifer Griffin at jdgriffi@indiana.edu.