Renowned choral conductor and educator André J. Thomas has crafted a book that the conductor of any choral ensemble-be it church, high school, university, or professional-will want close at hand when preparing to program any concert spiritual. Understanding the Spiritual, the first of the book's two sections, includes an exploration of the beginnings of the spiritual, its role in society and its transition into art music. Issues of interpretation-text, diction, rhythm and tempo-are addressed in the second section, Performing the Spiritual. In addition to interviews with noted conductors Dr. Anton Armstrong and Prof. Judith Willoughby as to matters of performance and selection, the centerpiece of this section is Dr. Thomas's personal reflections on several spiritual arrangements, including his rehearsal techniques (with specific examples and measure-number references to the included scores), as well as an insightful look into his decisions of interpretation.
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Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Dr. André J. Thomas, Owen F. Sellers, Professor of Music, is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University. He previously served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Thomas received the baccalaureate degree in Music Education from Friends University, the Masters Degree in Piano Performance from Northwestern University, and the Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Illinois. He is frequently in demand as a choral adjudicator, clinician and director of Honor Choirs and All-State Choirs throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. He has conducted choirs at the state, division and national conventions of Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He has served as a conductor and clinician for the International Federation of Choral Musicians. In 1998, Dr. Thomas conducted the World Youth Choir in the Republic of China and the Philippines, and returned in 1999-2000 to conduct the winter residency of the World Youth Choir in Europe. In 1999, he and the Florida State University Singers performed in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, at the invitation of the Vietnamese government. Besides his extensive conducting credits, he has distinguished himself as a composer/arranger. His compositions and arrangements are published by Heritage Music Press, Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimmon Music Company, Lawson-Gould, earthsongs, Laurel Press, and Choristers Guild. Dr. Thomas conducts several choral ensembles at the Florida State campus and teaches choral conducting. In November 1995, the Florida chapter of the ACDA presented Dr. Thomas with the prestigious Wayne Hugobloom Distinguished Service Award for his Dedicated Service, Leadership and Consistent Example of Excellence to his Profession The Choral Art. On January 13, 1996, Florida State University honored Dr. Thomas with the Dr
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For the Teacher's Library,
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This review is from: Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual (Paperback)
The bios of famous spiritual arrangers alone are worth the price of the book. The rest of this information is uesful, too, and it's great to have it all in one volume.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent resoursce on a misunderstood topic,
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This review is from: Way Over in Beulah Lan': Understanding and Performing the Negro Spiritual (Paperback)
Way over in Beulah Lan', by Andre' Thomas, is a resource any aspiring music educator should have in their arsenal. Full of documentation and historical evaluation of the effect and source of the spritual, Dr. Thomas delves into his own experience, both positive and negative, to give an accurate account of the history of the spritual as well as its development.
Easy to read and understand the tome goes beyond the pedantic to illustrate false comprehension of dialect and performance faults. Wonderful for both it historical and performance enhancing efforts, "Way over in Beulah Lan'" should be added to every music directors library.
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Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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spiritual arrangements, ful cit, personal correspondence with author, many arrangers, concert spiritual, spiritual settings, rhythmic energy, plantation songs, rock cried, choral arrangements, choral conductors, slave songs, mixed voices Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
African American, United States, Moses Hogan, New York, William Dawson, Hall Johnson, Nathaniel Dett, American Choral Directors Association, Keep Your Lamps, Robert Shaw, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Rosamond Johnson, Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong, Fisk University, James Weldon Johnson, New Orleans, Alice Parker, André Thomas, Eileen Southern, Ev'ry Time, Feel the Spirit, Florida State University, Roland Carter, Soon Ah Will Be Done New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
spiritual arrangements, ful cit, personal correspondence with author, many arrangers, concert spiritual, spiritual settings, rhythmic energy, plantation songs, rock cried, choral arrangements, choral conductors, slave songs, mixed voices Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
African American, United States, Moses Hogan, New York, William Dawson, Hall Johnson, Nathaniel Dett, American Choral Directors Association, Keep Your Lamps, Robert Shaw, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Rosamond Johnson, Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong, Fisk University, James Weldon Johnson, New Orleans, Alice Parker, André Thomas, Eileen Southern, Ev'ry Time, Feel the Spirit, Florida State University, Roland Carter, Soon Ah Will Be Done New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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