Tampa Spiritual Ensemble sustains African-American spirituals legacy
Original New Source: http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/tampa-spiritual-ensemble-sustains-african-american-spirituals-legacy/2225792
When Shenita Berrian sings, she does more than entertain an audience.
As artistic director for the Tampa Spiritual Ensemble, Berrian honors the spiritual music of her African-American ancestors, performing age-old hymns. Composed of classically trained singers from diverse backgrounds, the Tampa Spiritual Ensemble performs operas, recitals and concerts throughout the Tampa Bay area.
The group will perform at 3 p.m. April 26 at the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center, 1210 Del Webb Blvd. A $10 donation is requested at the door. I spoke to Berrian, who attends Living Faith Bible Fellowship Church in Tampa, about her love of music.
How did the Tampa Spiritual Ensemble form?
There were a few of us who sang opera in Tampa together. We wanted an outlet to sing spiritual music, have fun and spread the love for this type of music in the Tampa Bay area, so we started performing. We started singing at churches for free. People enjoyed the music and let others know, so we started being recognized and booking bigger gigs.
Does everyone in the group sing full time?
We have 12 members. About 80 percent of us are professional singers with degrees in music and voice. The other 20 percent do not sing full time but have performed for many years. I have a bachelor’s in music studies with a focus on vocal performance from the University of South Florida. I also teach music at Robles Elementary School. I am part of my church praise team.
What led you to sing African-American spirituals?
In college I was part of a group, the Spiritual Renaissance Singers, and one of our voice teachers was very interested in spirituals. I fell in love with the music. Being a Christian myself, the messages behind the songs drew me to them. The background of the spirituals is that many were sung by African-American slaves. It is important to pass the music through the generations so the art form will not get lost.
What can audiences expect from the upcoming performance at Sun City United Methodist?
We will perform an African-American piece and a piece from West Africa, a wonderful hymn. We will sing as an ensemble and there will be five solos. Anyone can relate to the music.