Singing City presents Democracy in Song, Part II: American Voices

Songs for all

The press release notes that “with call-and-response, spirituals, and contemporary works, audiences are invited not just to listen, but to reflect, connect, and participate in the act of building community through music. The program includes American Dream by Jocelyn Hagan, On the Common Ground by Alice Parker, Spiritual by Ysaÿe M. Barnwell, Finding a Home by Haitian-American composer Sydney Guillaume, ...Vum Vive Vum, a shaker tune arranged by Kevin Siegfried, and more.”

In keeping with Haslam’s vision, Singing City is made up of professional and amateur singers from all walks of life, aged 21 to 93. The singers have various levels of training, but Singing City’s programs are often ambitious, and have featured new, commissioned works like The Children’s March by Andrew Bleckner and Charlotte Blake Alston, A New Day Rising by Ethan Haman and Philadelphia’s Youth Poet Laureate Cydney Brown, The Voices of Earth by Brandon Williams, and Philadelphians Andrea Clearfield (Into the Blue) and Melissa Dunphy (The Canticle of Hannah).

Not all experiments are successful. Singing City endures, according to executive director Michael Bolton, because of the “extraordinary passion” members of Singing City have for the choir “whether they’ve been in the organization for forty years or four weeks.” They strive “to create a better Philadelphia through singing, but they’re also deeply invested in the success of the organization itself...It’s a rare kind of community where everyone wants to make the whole stronger.”

Inspiring culture

An inspiring cultural institution requires an inspiring Dilworth, who holds the Elaine Brown Chair at Temple University, has risen to the challenge. When he was recruited three years ago, he was uncertain about taking the position, however, after a “wonderful” preliminary meeting with the board, he agreed to be considered as an applicant, only to be told, by past president Nadeen Van Tuyle, if he agreed to be considered, there would be no other applicants. Bolton says, “Everyone adores Rollo, our programs and operations manager Liv Forney, and the entire artistic staff. And you know what, they sound really great, too.” He also notes that a large number of music teachers have joined the choir “because they want to learn from Rollo.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack, but Dilworth affirms their value, stating that “diversity makes America rich and exciting,” and adding that the idea of being inclusive extends beyond the chorus to the audience members, who get opportunities to sing in every concert. Bolton explains, “Singing City was born out of a vision that music could unite a divided world… This concert isn’t just about performance—it’s about conversation, community, and the courage to listen.”