2008 Woodie Awards
Pan-African Choir tours East Coast, performs on TV
Sheryl McCabe
Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Arts and Leisure
Drew University's Ubuntu Pan-African choir performed on "The Early Show" on CBS last Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The group was on an East Coast tour called Let Freedom Roll, singing in different schools and churches from Boston to Washington, D.C., in celebration of Dr. King from Jan. 17 to 23.
The group originally hoped to go on NBC's "Today Show", but the network never responded. However, the group's luck changed when Donna Powell (THEO '10), a member of the choir and a chaperone of the trip, called a producer that she knew from The Early Show and booked the performance for Ubuntu. "It was cold," Julian Wamble ('11) said. "We really didn't know what to expect because they told us we were going to have a really short segment and as soon as we got outside the wind started blowing. We started singing and no sound came out. [Ubuntu Choir Direction] Mark Miller's hands looked like they were going to freeze off. But as a choir, we had a really good time and it was a good experience." The group sang outside in 17 degrees weather with just their choir robes on. "It was great," the founding member and trip coordinator of Ubuntu, Dawud Ingram ('08), said. "They told us that we could come back anytime we wanted."
Ubuntu also performed at Julliard's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration later that day. "We were the only group [singing] that wasn't from Julliard," Ingram said, "and they made us feel very welcome."
Ubuntu started their tour by waking up at 3 a.m. Friday morning to get to Brookes School in Haverhill, Massachusetts by 9 a.m. for a concert. "It was a crazy beginning," Wamble said, "but the kids at the school were very supportive, and not at all judgmental like some high school kids can be."
While in Boston, Ubuntu performed at an interfaith Jewish and Baptist gathering in honor of Dr. King. "I have never been to a synagogue or sang songs in Hebrew, so it was a good learning experience. Both religious groups were being supportive of each other's differences," Wamble said.
The group sang at the installation of Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches Jack Johnson at Boston University in the Marsh Chapel, as well. "It was the first time we performed a good number of songs," Wamble said.
In Washington, D.C., the group sang at Foundry United Methodist Church which was the church that former President Bill Clinton attended during his presidency.
In only its second year, Ubuntu has almost doubled in size.
It seems that the group has become more united during this trip. "My favorite part of the trip was the time we had spent together and getting to know each other-interacting with and chilling with people you don't normally chill with," Catherine Jordan ('11) said.
The group originally hoped to go on NBC's "Today Show", but the network never responded. However, the group's luck changed when Donna Powell (THEO '10), a member of the choir and a chaperone of the trip, called a producer that she knew from The Early Show and booked the performance for Ubuntu. "It was cold," Julian Wamble ('11) said. "We really didn't know what to expect because they told us we were going to have a really short segment and as soon as we got outside the wind started blowing. We started singing and no sound came out. [Ubuntu Choir Direction] Mark Miller's hands looked like they were going to freeze off. But as a choir, we had a really good time and it was a good experience." The group sang outside in 17 degrees weather with just their choir robes on. "It was great," the founding member and trip coordinator of Ubuntu, Dawud Ingram ('08), said. "They told us that we could come back anytime we wanted."
Ubuntu also performed at Julliard's Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration later that day. "We were the only group [singing] that wasn't from Julliard," Ingram said, "and they made us feel very welcome."
Ubuntu started their tour by waking up at 3 a.m. Friday morning to get to Brookes School in Haverhill, Massachusetts by 9 a.m. for a concert. "It was a crazy beginning," Wamble said, "but the kids at the school were very supportive, and not at all judgmental like some high school kids can be."
While in Boston, Ubuntu performed at an interfaith Jewish and Baptist gathering in honor of Dr. King. "I have never been to a synagogue or sang songs in Hebrew, so it was a good learning experience. Both religious groups were being supportive of each other's differences," Wamble said.
The group sang at the installation of Executive Director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches Jack Johnson at Boston University in the Marsh Chapel, as well. "It was the first time we performed a good number of songs," Wamble said.
In Washington, D.C., the group sang at Foundry United Methodist Church which was the church that former President Bill Clinton attended during his presidency.
In only its second year, Ubuntu has almost doubled in size.
It seems that the group has become more united during this trip. "My favorite part of the trip was the time we had spent together and getting to know each other-interacting with and chilling with people you don't normally chill with," Catherine Jordan ('11) said.
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