Finding Aid for University of Illinois Black Chorus Records, ca. 1917-2023 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Sandy Kroeker

Email us about these records | printer

Print this information

Collection Overview

Title: University of Illinois Black Chorus Records, ca. 1917-2023

ID: 12/5/88

Primary Creator: Black Chorus (1968-)

Extent: 2.75 cubic feet

Arrangement: Organized in four series: Series 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium, ca. 1991-2019; Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011; Series 3: Administrative Records, ca. 1981-2014; Series 4: Black Chorus Performances, ca. 1984-2023. Each series is arranged chronologically.

Date Acquired: 12/15/2023

Subjects: Choirs, Music, Vocal music

Languages: English, German, Italian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of music, administrative records, programs, posters, awards, and photographs documenting the activities of the Black Chorus at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Biographical Note

Founded in 1968, the Black Chorus is a mixed chorus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Originally organized by four students and later sponsored by the African-American Cultural program and School of Music Choral Division, the mission of the Black Chorus is to promote African-American musical expression. To fulfill this mission, they maintain an active performance schedule, both on and off campus. They also host the Black Sacred Music Symposium biennially at UIUC, a conference dedicated to the study and performance of Black sacred music traditions.

In addition to performing at various colleges and universities throughout the country, the Black Chorus has performed at the National Black Gospel College Choir Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia; they have performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra and as special guests at an Orchestra Hall concert in Chicago. They perform the music of Black Americans, including Negro spirituals, anthems, formal music, traditional and contemporary gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues. Dr. Ollie Watts Davis has been the conductor of the Black Chorus since 1981.

Subject/Index Terms

Choirs
Music
Vocal music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Ollie Watts Davis

Acquisition Method: Transfer

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Black Sacred Music Symposium, ca. 1991-2019],
[Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011],
[Series 3: Administrative Records, ca. 1981-2014],
[Series 4: Black Chorus Performances, ca. 1984-2023],
[All]

Series 2: Music, ca. 1917-2011

Consists of music used by Black Chorus members for performances and coursework. Music dates from circa 1917 to 2011.

Box 1

Folder 23: 24 Negro Melodies, ca. 1917
Folder 24: Spirituals, ca. 1921-2001
Folder 25: Terms of Endowment, McCall, ca. 1927
Folder 26: German Music, ca. 1928-1995
Folder 27: "Bless this House" by Helen Taylor & May H. Brahe, ca. 1932
Folder 28: SATB Music, ca. 1934-2005
Folder 29: Music Notebook, ca. 1935-1951
Folder 30: "How Lovely Are Thy Dwellings" by Samuel Liddle, ca. 1936
Folder 31: Johnson Spirituals, ca. 1940-1991
Folder 32: Piano & Voice Music, ca. 1944-1994
Folder 33: "When I am Laid in Earth" by Henry Purcell, ca. 1951
Folder 34: Choral Octavos, ca. 1953-1997
Folder 35: Music by Hector Berlioz, ca. 1956
Folder 36: Scarlatti, Alessandro "Gia il sole dal Gange", ca. 1961
Folder 37: "Dona Nobis Pacem" by R. Vaughn Williams, ca. 1964
Folder 38: Christmas Music, ca. 1967-1978
Folder 39: Art Songs by American Women Composers, Volume 2, ca. 1969-1994
Folder 40: Schostakowitsch - Performance Copy, ca. 1970
Folder 41: Mel Bay's "Modern Guitar Method Grade 1", ca. 1972
Folder 42: Hymns, ca. 1975-1978
Folder 43: "Lift Every Voice and Sing" arr. Roland M. Carter, ca. 1978
Folder 44: "Come Ready and See Me" by Richard Hundley, ca. 1981
Folder 45: "I'm Available to You" by Carlis Moody, Jr., ca. 1988
Folder 46: Ysaye M. Barnwell "Crossings", ca. 1991
Folder 47: "The Decision" by V. Michael McKay, ca. 1992
Folder 48: "Wade in the Water" arr. Mark Hayes, ca. 1994
Folder 49: Genius Child, Music of Ricky Ian Gordon, ca. 1995
Folder 50: Black Chorus Reagon Presentation, 1999
Folder 51: "God's Favor" by Donald Lawrence, ca. 2000
Folder 52: "The Holy Place" by Ricky Dillard, ca. 2000
Folder 53: Three African-American Spirituals, arr. John Stafford II, ca. 2001
Folder 54: "We Give Glory To Your Name" by A. Jeffrey LaValley, ca. 2003
Folder 55: Stefanie Greene Music Binder, 2011
Folder 56: "Ballad for Billie" by John Harbison, undated
Folder 57: Beyone "If I Were A Boy", undated
Folder 58: CD & Lyrics "For You I Will" by Monica, undated
Folder 59: Deandre Patterson Music Binder, undated
Folder 60: "Drink to me Only with Thine Eyes" by Ben Jonson, undated
Folder 61: Early English Music, undated
Folder 62: Ernest Chausson "Poeme de l'Amour et de la Mer", undated
Folder 63: Gene Scheer "Be the Glory", undated
Folder 64: "He Is Worthy" arr. Stanley A. Spottswood, undated
Folder 65: "Here I Am" arr. K. Edward Copeland, undated
Folder 66: "High and Lifted Up" by Joseph Pace II, undated

Box 2

Folder 1: "Hold On" arr. M. Richardson, undated
Folder 2: "Hush, Somebody's Callin' My Name" arr. Brazeal W. Dennard, undated
Folder 3: Illinois State Song, undated
Folder 4: "Jesus Paid It All" by John T. Grape, undated
Folder 5: Johann Sebastian Bach "Jauchzet Gott", undated
Folder 6: Kenneth Copeland Music Writing Blank Book, undated
Folder 7: Lyrics & Translations, undated
Folder 8: Maestro Moderato's Theory Workbooks, undated
Folder 9: Maurette Brown-Clark "I Hear the Sound", undated
Folder 10: Music by Georg Friedrich Handel, undated
Folder 11: Sarah Olsen Music Binder, undated
Folder 12: Student Music, undated
Folder 13: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 14: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 15: Student Music Binder, undated
Folder 16: "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" by Nina Simone & Weldon J. Irvine, Jr., undated
Folder 17: "To Our God" by Judith Christie McAllister & Robert Christie, undated