Dayton is home to a world acclaimed choir, the Jeremy Winston Chorale International. The group has just released its first album and many of the tracks are quickly becoming social media hits.
“As a community we can learn a lot from a choir about how we work together, doing different things, but all working towards a singular purpose," Jeremy Winston, the choir’s founder, primary conductor and CEO, reflected.
How it started...
In 2012, Winston created the group–handpicking every voice to perform in his elite choir. That year, they competed in the World Chorale Games that were held in Cincinnati. The group competed in two categories; Gospel and in Mixed Chorus (Classical and Spirituals).
They were totally unknown.
By the end of the competition, the vibrant team of twenty-three won silver all round in Mixed Chorus. But they weren’t done. After a few more rounds—they walked across the stage and were crowned gold medal champions in Gospel. Since then, the troupe regularly performs in Prague for a summer concert with the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, in Germany and in other countries.
This dynamic director says his and the music talents of each member was initially inspired, trained and shaped in their home churches—a Black churches.
“Black churches is where all of us first got our first music lesson, where we learned how to put our emotion into the music, where we learned stage presence and stage etiquette and all of these things,” Winston explained. “It’s where we stood up and nervously sang our first solo or played the piano for the first time and got the call from the congregation, 'Take your time, baby. It's all right.' You know, all of those loving voices of support.”
How it's going...
The Chorale has just released its first album, entitled Black Church. It honors these unique conservatories for African Americans.
Jeremy Winston says these environments are also the cradle for improvisation. A skill passed from generation to generation dating back to the days of slavery when it was illegal to teach Blacks how to read and write.
“Music and instruments were learned by ear and not just the piano, which today is still very common in black churches,” Winston said. “We have pianists who just play by ear. They don't have any sheet music in front of them. They just pick it up and learn it. It’s a real tradition in the Black church.”
Twelve songs are on the album. The group’s rendition of “Even Me” spotlights its improvisational talents. A spiritual originally written as an a capella. But in his head—Jeremy Winston heard something different and so did the soloist.
“William Ramsey is a counter tenor and he has an extended upper range. He improvises and so every time he sings this song, he does something different,” Winston said. “Improvisation is a way of thinking. It is a freedom of allowing the spirit to lead. Oftentimes, those are the best musical experiences when it is unscripted and unplanned.”
The Jeremy Winston Chorale International is a non-profit and also prides itself on nurturing youth talent. For the song, "Shout for Joy"—Jeremy went to Spring Valley Academy in Centerville and recruited then 17-year-old Alexis Dulan to play the timpani—also called the kettle drum.
In the opening movement, she performs with the brass section.
“It was a cool experience getting to play with a group of professionals and I was the youngest person there,” expressed Dulan. “It was cool because it showed I have the talent to be able to do something like that.”
Alexis has played percussion in her school band since 5th grade and she performs with the Kettering Praise Orchestra. But she admits, recording "Shout for Joy" with the Chorale was on a whole new level.
“It’s not necessarily what I’m doing that’s interesting. It’s the mix of the brass and the choir playing together that I really like when it all comes together,” Dulan said. “I feel moved and empowered, and they’re repeating the phrase and they’re repeating the phrase, ‘shout for joy’, and the excitement in this part of the song.”
The Black Church album visually honors its fundamental roots. The disc looks like a traditional album. Micro thin gray grooves alternate with thicker black groves indicating each song. In the center, the exterior image of a congregation standing outside on church steps.
For the album's jacket cover, Winston chose a historic image of Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia—founded in 1794—it is the oldest and first privately owned and run Black church in the nation. Members proudly pose in front.
And the back cover features Dayton’s McKinley United Methodist Church—one of the oldest African-American churches in the city. Hovering over the church is a pale, orange moon.
The album’s closing song is "Orange Moon"—originally performed by neo-soul artist Erykah Badu. Jeremy Winston chose this song to disrupt traditional ideas of a Black choir.
“I wanted to demonstrate the flexibility and the immense talent of the individuals within my group who can switch on a dime and say, yeah, we could sing this and do it really well. It's exceptional,” Winston explained. “When we consider all of the pop music that is relevant today, from R&B to Jazz to Country, we have to know the black church and our culture is the parent to all of these different styles.”
Support for Culture Couch comes from WYSO Leaders Frank Scenna and Heather Bailey, who are proud to support storytelling that sparks curiosity, highlights creativity and builds community and Ohio Arts Council.
Culture Couch is created at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO.
