November 5, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … “Gospel Christmas,” holiday concerts that present well-known Christmas music performed in rousing gospel style returns with acclaimed conductor and composer Charles Floyd leading the Oregon Symphony, the Northwest Community Gospel Chorus and a special appearance by the Brown Sisters on Dec. 3, 4 and 5 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Media support for these concerts is provided by KINKfm102.
Now in its sixth year, “Gospel Christmas” has become a Symphony tradition and an audience holiday concert favorite. This year’s concerts include a CD release party to celebrate The Brown Sisters’ debut CD, “’Tis So Sweet.” Immediately after each concert, the sisters will return to the stage with their band to perform songs from their CD, which will be on sale in the lobby. They will also join the audience in the lobby after their performance to sign copies of their CD. In addition, Floyd and choir director Gary Hemenway will hold an informal preconcert discussion one hour before each concert, in which they discuss the origins of gospel music and the annual process of auditions and rehearsals for these inspiring December concerts.
Floyd leads the Symphony and the Northwest Community Gospel Chorus, a group of more than 100 singers specially selected for this concert, which represent the Portland area’s finest gospel choirs. The choir, rehearsed by Hemenway, pastor of Journey Church in Walla Walla, Wash., includes members of the Portland/Vancouver Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, as well as various other music ministries and churches of Portland and surrounding communities. “These choir members, soloists and musicians are persons who love to sing and proclaim the Good News through the medium of gospel music. Each singer is always open to the opportunity to perfect their God-given gifts and is dedicated to the perpetuation of gospel music as an original American art form,” said Choir Coordinator Dorothy L. Davis.
This year’s program features gospel arrangements by Floyd and others including “Go Tell It On The Mountain.” The concert will also include selections from “ Soulful Messiah” and arrangements of traditional carols including “What Child Is This?” “For Every Mountain,” “Joy to the World,” “O Holy Night,” “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “Joyful, Joyful” and “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing.” Throughout the evening Floyd, the choir and the Symphony will be joined by The Brown Sisters, a Portland-based gospel a capella group, who will perform several featured selections from “’Tis So Sweet.” The sisters grew up in a large musical family and taught themselves to sing close harmony at home in their bedroom.
Floyd has made a national name for himself as a conductor leading Pops concerts with the San Francisco, Atlanta, and Houston Symphony Orchestras, among others. Since 1993 Floyd’s performances have included the annual “Gospel Night at Pops” at Boston’s Symphony Hall and Esplanade Pavilion. He is also a noted pianist and composer/arranger. His latest work for orchestra will premiere in Los Angeles in 2005.
Donations of new, unwrapped toys for the Northwest NewsChannel 8 Toy Drive and canned food for the Oregon Food Bank are accepted at all Oregon Symphony Holiday concerts.
Performances are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets range from $23 to $65 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets (503-790-ARTS) or through Ticketmaster Online, via the Symphony’s Web site at www.orsymphony.org. Service fees may apply.
Conductor, pianist and composer Charles Floyd began studying piano at age four, gave his first solo recital at age nine. By age twenty had been heard in solo recital, chamber music and concerto performances throughout the United States and Spain. Mr. Floyd performed frequently as soloist with the Louisville Orchestra between 1982 and 1984 under the batons of Robert Bernhardt and Stewart Kershaw. He also was chosen as pianist for the Louisville Ballet’s internationally recognized tribute to George Balanchine during the 1983-84 season, performing Tchaikovsky’s Third Piano Concerto, Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto, Chopin’s Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, and Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F. Charles Floyd has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the National Chopin Competition of New York’s Kosciuszko Foundation.
As a conductor, Mr. Floyd has performed with more than 500 orchestras internationally since 1991, including the Detroit Symphony, the Atlanta, Indianapolis, Houston, Oregon, Saint Louis, San Antonio, Buffalo, San Francisco, Chicago, and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras, the Scottish National Radio Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the London Symphony. During the 2003-04 concert season, he has appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in four different programs, and made his debut with the Brooklyn Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall in July.
He is also an annual guest conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Since 1993 his performances have included “Gospel Night at Pops” at Boston’s Symphony Hall and Esplanade Pavilion as well as standard Pops programs. His work in Boston’s 1996 season included a PBS telecast of “Evening at Pops”, featuring Patti LaBelle and Edwin Hawkins in a program of gospel music, and critically acclaimed performances of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” as soloist with conductor Keith Lockhart. Featured artists on his programs have included Grace Bumbry, Sting, Elton John, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Yolanda Adams, Daryl Coley, Doc Severinsen, Sergio Mendes, Nancy Wilson, John Faddis, Mark O’Conner, kd lang, Stevie Wonder, Wynona Judd, and William Warfield. In 1998 he was music director for the televised holiday special, “A Cathedral Christmas”, with Metropolitan Opera’s mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves from Washington DC’s National Cathedral, currently available on DVD. Mr. Floyd’s eleven-year partnership with Natalie Cole included such projects as the multiple Grammy Award-winning tribute to Nat King Cole entitled “Unforgettable, With Love”, the Emmy Award-winning PBS Great Performances concert video of the same title, as well as the Grammy-winning releases “Take a Look” and “Stardust.”
His compositions range from chamber music to large orchestral works. A tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, “One Man’s Dream” was commissioned and premiered by the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in 2001. His “Four Spirituals” for soprano and orchestra was premiered at Boston’s Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra in 1995, and his oratorio “Hosanna” for gospel chorus and orchestra premiered in 2000. A new commissioned orchestral work, “Elements”, will premiere in 2005 in Los Angeles.
From the moment they were conceived, it was inevitable: The Brown Sisters were born to sing gospel music. Even before their births, their parents exposed them to music. JoAnna, Leah, Dorcas and Rachel are four of six children born to Pastor Thomas and Charlene Brown.
Singing is a family affair for The Brown Sisters. They have two brothers- Thomas, who sings and plays drums, and Simeon, who sings and plays trumpet. Their mother instilled music in them even before their birth by playing the piano and organ in church. Their father collected recordings of the late Rev. James Cleveland, The Richard Smallwood Singers, Commissioned, Mahalia Jackson and many other well-known artists who shaped and inspired The Brown Sisters’ God-given gifts.
At a young age, while singing songs in their bedroom, they discovered that each sister could sing a different part - JoAnna sang tenor, Leah sang soprano and Dorcas sang alto. Rachel was too young for the group at the time, but she now sings both soprano and alto. In 1986, The Brown Sisters became the soul-stirring a cappella and traditional gospel group.
The Brown Sisters learned to appreciate classical music at a young age from their mentor Mrs. Edwina Wills, a Methodist pastor’s wife and schoolteacher. She gave them violin and piano lessons free of charge. She gave of her heart, and The Brown Sisters are forever indebted to her for her selfless sacrifice.
The Brown Sisters are also forever indebted to their parents for their consistent prayers and many sacrifices. The most important thing they taught them was to keep God first in their lives; only then would then find true happiness. Singing gospel music is not just what The Brown Sisters do - it is who they are. Their hearts' desire is ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone and leaving an impression on the soul.
They have been given the opportunity to sing at some significant events which include opening for Dr. Maya Angelou and The Bite of Oregon which benefits the Special Olympics. They have also partnered with the Russian Community in music ministry.
The most recent event that has taken place was the birth of Dorcas’ fourth son, Joseph Joshua Smith on November 1st. Their most recent and long-awaited accomplishment was the completion of their first CD, titled “’Tis So Sweet,” which is now available.
