A Return to Carnegie Hall
Dean of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts Marvin Curtis took the choirs of IU South Bend to Carnegie Hall in New York City for a second time—this time to perform five pieces he composed.
The prelude concert took place on Sunday, April 28, and included performances of "Psalm and Alleluia," "Praising Song," "By an’ By," "Roll, Jordon Roll" and "The City on the Hill." The South Bend singers also appeared in the regular concert as part of a mass choir singing Vivaldi's "Gloria" under conductor James P. Johnson. “It was an honor and a lifelong dream to conduct my own compositions in Carnegie Hall,” said Curtis.
His composition, "The City on the Hill," premiered at President Clinton’s 1993 inauguration, making him the first African-American composer commissioned to write a choral work for a presidential inauguration. The combined choirs of IU South Bend consist of the Choral Union and the South Bend Symphonic Choir.
The choirs previously performed at Carnegie Hall in 2016 after being invited by composer Jacqueline Hairston, who had previously worked with Curtis. Members of both choirs performed a 90-minute concert in the Grand Foyer of the White House in December of 2009.