Black Hymnody ft. the W. Crimm Singers

Black Hymnody is a musical experience celebrating the sacred hymns of the Black Church.

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Friday, February 23rd, 2024
7:00 PM
Wightman Chapel at Scarritt Bennett Center
Free to attend | Donations accepted

About the W. Crimm Singers:

Picture it…North (pronounced Norf) Nashville, summer of 2018…a group of friends that just so happen to be vocalists of various backgrounds and experiences come together at the request of veteran music educator and opera singer, William G. Crimm for a “Wakanda”-themed Freedom School presentation. They had so much fun and vowed to get together more often. Thus, the W. Crimm Singers was born!

The W. Crimm Singers is professional ensemble-in-residence of the Big Blue Opera Initiatives at Tennessee State University. As “Wakanda” suggests, they wholly embrace the music of the Black experience throughout the diaspora and every genre connected to it. A versatile ensemble, major emphasis is placed on the Negro Spiritual, African American operatic and concert repertoire, hymnody, and anthems. The W. Crimm Singers boasts a roster of over 70 artists. Moreover, this aggregation is committed to providing professional opportunities to young artists of color from area colleges and universities.

In their time together, the W. Crimm Singers has recorded and performed with Louis York (American Griots, 2019), Stars Go Dim, Intersection Contemporary Music Ensemble, Hannibal Lokumbe, Rodrick Dixon, and been featured on 91Classical’s Live in Studio C and Bobby Jones Presents. In 2019, The group debuted in the Colour of Music Festival performing Dett’s The Chariot Jubilee under the baton of Dr. David Morrow and in 2020, presented Songs from the Heart of a Woman: The Vocal Music of Florence Price for the virtual International Florence Price Festival. Later that year, they were featured in Black Youth Project’s Virtual Juneteenth Celebration. Members of the W. Crimm Singers were featured soloists in Handel’s Messiah with Early Music City at the Music City Messiah Festival in December 2021, marking the first all-Black vocal cast performance of work in Nashville in over 25 years. They have been staples of the Harry T. Burleigh Spirituals Festival since 2018 and performed for the 54th and 55th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration at the National Civil Rights Museum. Most recently, the ensemble contributed to Sir the Baptist and Tennessee State University Band’s Grammy Award winning album, The Urban Hymnal (2022). Additionally, the W. Crimm Singers were featured on Reportin’ for Duty: A Tribute to Leslie Jordan (Circle TV, 2023), making their Grand Ole Opry debut.