A new concert film from WTIU Public Television in Bloomington explores the rich traditions, historical significance, and meaning of Black church music.
Amen! Music of the Black Church premieres at 7 p.m. today on WTIU and Facebook Live. Recorded before a live audience at the Second Baptist Church in Bloomington, Dr. Raymond Wise leads the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble in a performance of sacred music spanning from African traditions to contemporary praise and worship music.
Much of the Black experience has been defined and uplifted by the Black church, with gospel and religious music as a form of self-expression. Amen! Music of the Black Church speaks to the optimism and triumph embodied in this musical genre.
The critically acclaimed African American Choral Ensemble preserves the legacy of African American choral music through transformative interpretations of this unique American art form. Weaved throughout the performance are short narratives with historic highlights that give context to the musical styles featured in the program.
Watch a trailer and learn more about Amen! Music of the Black Church at wtiu.org/amenmusic. The full program will be available to watch on this website the day after the premiere.
DVD and BluRay copies of the program will be available for the public to purchase from shopwtiu.org.
Amen! Music of the Black Church is made possible with support from the IU Office of the Bicentennial.
Read the story in the Tribune-Star