Brookline-based choir raises money to support young Black musicians
United Parish works with the Hamilton-Garrett Center for Music and Arts in Roxbury to help youth achieve their musical dreams
MUSIC OF THE PAST WHILE HELPING THE MUSICIANS OF THE FUTURE. AT UNITED PARISH IN BROOKLINE, THE CHOIR GATHERS TOGETHER TO REHEARSE. MINISTER OF MUSIC SUSAN LEADS THE SINGERS FROM BEHIND THE PIANO. >> I WILL TEACH YOU ANOTHER PART. ANTHONY: THE SONG THEY WORK ON HIS — COMES FROM — >> WE SO — SAYING UNITED STATES SPIRITUALS, THEY ARE THE FOLK MUSIC OF AMERICA. ANTHONY: SONGS MANY PEOPLE KNOW. >> GO TELL ON THE MOUNTAIN, HE HAS THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HAND. I HAVE PEACE LIKE A RIVER. ANTHONY: THE WAY THIS CONGREGATION APPROACHES THESE SONGS IS CHANGING. SHE SAYS A CONVERSATION STARTED IN THE SUMMER OF 2020 AFTER THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD. >> I WANT TO USE A SPIRITUAL IN WORSHIP TO COMMEMORATE HIS WIFE — LIFE. I WANT TO COMMEMORATE — THERE WAS BACKLASH IN THE CONGREGATION, WANTED TO PEOPLE FELT LIKE IS IT A RIGHT CHOICE IN THE MOMENT? IS IT TOKEN ESTATE? — TOKENISTIC. >> THEY WERE PAYING AN ANNUAL BILL FOR THE USE OF FOLK MUSIC. >> WE COLLECT — ANTHONY: SHE LEARNED ABOUT THE HAMILTON GARRETT TO FOR MUSIC AND ARTS. JUST A FEW MILES AWAY IN ROXBURY. >> AND THEIR MISSION STATEMENT- THEY TALK ABOUT THEY ARE DEVOTED TO PRESERVING NEGRO SPIRITUALS IN THE LEFT COMMITTEE. — BLACK COMMUNITY. >> THEY WERE PROUD TO BE THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE INITIATIVE. >> THEY ARE PRESIDENT AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR FOR THE HAMILTON GARRETT CENTER. NAME FOR TWO ACCLAIMED MUSICIANS, RUTH HAMILTON AND ELDER GARRETT, MEETING THROUGH THE CHARLES STREET CHURCH. >> THEY FORGED A FRIENDSHIP BASED ON THE LEVEL PASSION FOR THE NEGRO SPIRITUALS IN THE MUSIC OF THE BLACK CHURCH. >> AFTER HIS DEATH, ELSA AND THE CHURCH STARTED A CENTER COME FOR THE CELEBRATION OF BLACK MUSIC ESSENTIAL TO THE ADMISSION — MISSION. >> THAT COVERS HER THING FROM THE NEGRO SPIRITUAL, BLUES, JAZZ, R&B AND POP. >> AFTER EARNING A MASTERS DEGREE FROM BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC SHE SHARES HER EXPERTISE WITH A NEW GENERATION OF MUSICIANS. 11TH GRADER ZION HAS A STEADY THAT HAMILTON GARRETT FOR 4 YEARS. PART OF THE CENTER’S ALL GROW YOUTH CHOIR. >> ALL THE TIME I HAVE BEEN HERE I’VE NEVER DREADED A DAY OF COMING HERE. I LOVE THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY. >> THROUGH THE CENTERS MUSIC AND ARTS ACADEMY PROGRAM STUDENTS RECEIVE PRIVATE LESSONS OF VOICE, INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING PIANO, VIOLIN, DRUMS. THEY LEARN MUSIC THEORY AND COMPOSITION. >> WE LEARNED A LOT, THE HISTORY ABOUT SONGS, EVEN THE B-2 PLAN PERCUSSION THERE IS A HISTORY BEHIND EVERYTHING AND WE LEARN ALL OF IT HERE. >> THEY KEEP IT ON, THEY MAKE — FUN, AND MAKE IT SO YOU WANT TO LEARN. ANTHONY: HE IS IN SIXTH GRADE, HE LEARNED GUITAR DURING HIS FIRST YEAR AT HAMILTON GARRETT. THEY HAVE — THEY SAY ON HOW TO PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS WHO APPLY TO THE BOSTON ARTS ACADEMY HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. THE CENTER IS THE FIRST COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION TO PARTNER WITH OAKLEY CENTER FOR AFRICAN STUDIES. >> THE MUSIC THE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING, EVEN THOUGH IS THE USING OF THEIR HERITAGE IT HAS EQUALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF WAIT –WEIGHT AND PREPAREDNESS FOR STUDENT TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL TRAJECTORY IN MUSIC. AS SOMEONE WHO MIGHT STUDY WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC. >> BOTH FLORAS AND — THEY SAY THERE IS A REASON WHY NEGRO SPIRITUALS HAVE BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC. >> PEOPLE RESONATE WITH IT. IT IS A COMMUNICATION BEYOND WORDS. >> THE MUSIC IS A HUMAN EXPERIENCE AT ITS MOST REAL. ANTHONY: THE HAMILTON GARRETT CENTER RECENTLY CELEBRATED ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY. THE MOST RECENT INITIATIVE, THEY ARE ADDING A DRUM LINE. PLANNING TO ADD THE UNIQUE SOUND AND EXPERIENCE OF A FOOTBALL HALFTIME SHOW AT AN HBCU TO BOSTON. THEY RAISE
Brookline-based choir raises money to support young Black musicians
United Parish works with the Hamilton-Garrett Center for Music and Arts in Roxbury to help youth achieve their musical dreams
Updated: 8:10 PM EST Dec 7, 2022
A local church is changing how they approach some music, and it is connecting them with another group that cherishes the same songs.United Parish in Brookline and minister of music Susan DeSelms began reconsidering how the church uses spirituals after the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. While paying the church’s annual bill for the use of worship music, DeSelms realized the congregation could take a collection each time it uses one of the spirituals, and give it to a group that supports Black musicians.As DeSelms was talking through the idea with church leadership, she learned about the Hamilton-Garrett Center for Music and Arts, just a few miles away in Roxbury. President and artistic director Gerami Groover-Flores said the center is focused on the preservation and celebration of Black music. Kids and teenagers receive private music lessons in voice or instruments including piano, guitar, violin and drums. They also learn music theory and composition. The center is named for two acclaimed musicians, Ruth Hamilton and Elta Garrett.United Parish in Brookline started the Negro Spirituals Royalties Project in October 2021. In the first 10 months, the congregation raised about $15,000 for the effort.
A local church is changing how they approach some music, and it is connecting them with another group that cherishes the same songs.
United Parish in Brookline and minister of music Susan DeSelms began reconsidering how the church uses spirituals after the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020. While paying the church’s annual bill for the use of worship music, DeSelms realized the congregation could take a collection each time it uses one of the spirituals, and give it to a group that supports Black musicians.
As DeSelms was talking through the idea with church leadership, she learned about the Hamilton-Garrett Center for Music and Arts, just a few miles away in Roxbury. President and artistic director Gerami Groover-Flores said the center is focused on the preservation and celebration of Black music. Kids and teenagers receive private music lessons in voice or instruments including piano, guitar, violin and drums. They also learn music theory and composition. The center is named for two acclaimed musicians, Ruth Hamilton and Elta Garrett.
United Parish in Brookline started the Negro Spirituals Royalties Project in October 2021. In the first 10 months, the congregation raised about $15,000 for the effort.