The anticipated results of this research will be presented as a book with accompanying compact disc recording of selected spirituals performed by the lead researcher, soprano Randye Jones. Selections from the book's initial chapters will be published on this site as an e-book.

The first installment, a bibliography of general resources, is now accessible from the e-book version.

ANS Recitals, Lectures and Recordings

Part of the research project will involve presentations of spirituals in recital and lectures or other related events.

Ms. Jones conducted a live interview on Iowa Public Radio's The Exchange, hosted by Ben Kieffer, on Monday, April 28, 2008. She included recordings of spirituals performed with pianists Timothy Newton and William Tinker during recent recitals given on the Grinnell College campus, discussed the unique nature of performing spirituals set for concert performance and how she became interested in this American musical form. Listen to interview.

Additional upcoming performances, lectures and other presentations will be announced here as details are confirmed.

To view other programs, papers--such as The Gospel Truth about the Negro Spiritual, pictures, etc. from previous ANS events, and to inquire about scheduling an ANS event, please visit the ANS Recitals, Lectures and Recordings page.

Surveys

One of the major concerns of this project is use of Negro spiritual art songs in the voice studio. In order to get an up-to-date sense of how much of a role these songs play in the development of the singer's repertoire, we have placed a survey on the ANS site. We invite vocal students, voice teachers and coaches, professional singers, and anyone who has studied vocal music privately to participate. Go to the survey page to share your views.

There is also an analysis of an earlier survey on the same subject available.

GO TO SURVEY

New Discussion List

The Negro Spiritual Group is now open on Yahoogroups. This new discussion list:

The Negro Spiritual Group is for anyone interested in discussing all aspects of the genre. This includes: the history of spirituals, the role it played in slavery and the Christian beliefs of slaves, the post-Civil War use of spirituals in choral anthems and solo vocal concert music, and its importance to the American Civil Rights Movement. Posters to the list may not only raise issues and questions, but they may announce upcoming events, newly released publications and recordings, etc. related to Negro Spirituals.

To join the discussion list, complete the form below:

In the News

"Black college choirs preserve beauty of spiritual art form" by Gannett News Service reporter Deborah Berry, dated February 18, 2008, focuses on how Black schools have played a role in the survival of the spiritual. Ms. Jones contributed comments about their efforts.

In its June 12, 2006 edition, the Grinnell (Iowa) Herald-Register published an article about a presentation on "Secret Signals in the Negro Spiritual" given by Ms. Jones on Sunday, June 18, at the Grinnell Historical Museum. The presentation focused on how songs such as "Go Down Moses" and "Steal Away" were used to communicate among slaves, especially those who travelled the Underground Railroad.

The April 9, 2004, edition of The Carolina Peacemaker covered one of Ms. Jones' recent lecture-recitals on "The Gospel Truth about the Negro Spiritual," held in Greensboro, North Carolina. In the article, "Jones Tells the Gospel Truth," writer Ayodele Murphy remarks that, "Add the skills of a vocalist, a passion for performing and a love of research and you will have a few of the ingredients that make up Randye Jones." View the article.

Ms. Jones and ANS were profiled in the November 22, 2003, edition of Billboard newspaper. Writer Jim Bessman described Come Down Angels as, "the first fruits of her ongoing research of the history of 'art song settings' of Negro spirituals" in the article entitled, "Soprano Gives New Life to Spirituals." The article can be accessed here.

She was interviewed for an article in the October 2, 2003, edition of The Gazette. The article, written by the paper's religion editor, Linda Phelps, describes some of the challenges involved in the production of Come Down Angels. Ms. Phelps also wrote an article entitled, "Researcher Finds Answers to Negro Spiritualism Questions," for the June 6, 2002, edition.

The e-journal, MusicDish, published an article entitled, "The Art of the Negro Spiritual: From Cotton Fields to Concert Hall: An Interview With Soprano/Researcher Randye Jones," on February 4, 2003. The article was based on an interview with MusicDish assistant editor Anne Freeman. To read this interview, visit http://www.musicdish.com/mag/?id=7465.

To view press releases distributed about ANS, visit our Press Release page.

ANS Talks

Because ANS receives a number of emails with questions and/or information that were potentially of general interest, we have opened up a forum called "ANS Talks." It is available for discussion of issues and announcement of events involving the Negro spiritual. Visitors may also submit research questions or music search queries. Click on the link below to access the forum.

GO TO ANS TALKS

Thank you for your interest in The Art of the Negro Spiritual. Other research by Randye Jones is featured at Afrocentric Voices in Classical Music. To learn more about soprano and researcher Randye Jones, view her biography.