This past Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, Bring the Sing returned to Rochester for an event that celebrated and honored the civil rights icon. Led by Joe Osowski and the St. Michael-Albertville High School Choir, the event drew hundreds of singers to Lourdes High School Auditorium to hear King's words and to sing music related to African-Americans' struggle for and progress toward equality.

The Rev. Don Barlow, chair of the Rochester public school board and pastor of the Rochester Community Baptist Church, selected and read passages from King particularly relevant to these times. Rochester singer Anthony Cook performed two uplifting solo works, "A Change is Gonna Come" and "If I Can Help Somebody." And along with arrangements of two spirituals, the gathered mass choir sang the unofficial anthem of Bring the Sing events — Mark Miller's moving "Draw the Circle Wide" — as well as an arrangement of the gospel song most closely associated with the movement that King led, "We Shall Overcome."

Program

Martin Luther King, Jr. read by Pastor Don Barlow

Traditional Bahamian (arr. Norman Luboff): All My Trials
Matthew Tintes, baritone

Martin Luther King, Jr. read by Pastor Don Barlow

Traditional, African-American: Set Down Servant
Matthew Tintes, baritone; Miriam Augsberger, piano

Set of three pieces St. Michael-Albertville HS Choir
Joseph Osowski and Brandon Berger, conductors

Martin Luther King, Jr. read by Pastor Don Barlow

Mark Miller: Draw the Circle Wide
Matthew Tintes, baritone; Miriam Augsberger, piano

Sam Cooke: A Change is Gonna Come
Anthony Cook, vocal solo; Jaymi Wilson, piano

A. B. Androzzo: If I Can Help Somebody
Anthony Cook, vocal solo; Jaymi Wilson, piano

Traditional, African-American (arr. Tesfa Wondemagegnehu): We Shall Overcome

Gallery

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