• December 23, 2009 8:01 pm
For more than three decades, they sang Mozart in Latin, Bach in German, and Cole Porter and Stevie Wonder in English, from Alice Tully Hall in New York to Royal Albert Hall in London.
Uniforms used by the Boys Choir of Harlem have been stored in the damp basement of the Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, the choir’s last home.
For the audiences that marveled at the Boys Choir of Harlem, it was an additional wonder that the young performers with world-class voices had emerged from some of the most difficult neighborhoods of New York. December was always a busy month, as the choir toured the country’s premier concert halls and appeared on television Christmas specials. But this year, the boys are nowhere to be found. Last week, Terrance Wright, a 39-year-old choir alumnus, picked up a microphone in front of the altar of Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, the choir’s last home, and delivered news that surprised few people but saddened many.
“Tell the people. Let it be known,” Mr. Wright said, glistening and exhausted after leading a Christmas concert by former singers in the choir. “There is no Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem.”
This is very sad to me.. ik
see the whole article here.. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/nyregion/23choir.html?_r=2

articleLarge

For more than three decades, they sang Mozart in Latin, Bach in German, and Cole Porter and Stevie Wonder in English, from Alice Tully Hall in New York to Royal Albert Hall in London.

Uniforms used by the Boys Choir of Harlem have been stored in the damp basement of the Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, the choir’s last home.

For the audiences that marveled at the Boys Choir of Harlem, it was an additional wonder that the young performers with world-class voices had emerged from some of the most difficult neighborhoods of New York. December was always a busy month, as the choir toured the country’s premier concert halls and appeared on television Christmas specials. But this year, the boys are nowhere to be found. Last week, Terrance Wright, a 39-year-old choir alumnus, picked up a microphone in front of the altar of Metropolitan Community United Methodist Church in Harlem, the choir’s last home, and delivered news that surprised few people but saddened many.

“Tell the people. Let it be known,” Mr. Wright said, glistening and exhausted after leading a Christmas concert by former singers in the choir. “There is no Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem.”

This is very sad to me.. ik

this is a piece of a larger article.. see the whole article here.. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/nyregion/23choir.html?_r=2

First Annual United Black Students Conference

  • December 19, 2009 4:18 pm


On November 20th-22nd the United Black Students of Ryerson put together the first ever United Black Students Conference at Ryerson. Representatives from Calgary, Halifax, Montreal and the States came to Toronto to stand together, inspire each other, and create action plans for real change in their communities. I had the pleasure of attending and meeting a lot of passionate young leaders in the black student community. Special shout to Jerome Morgan who was a member of the Emerge program that I used to coordinate for taking and idea and his passion and gathering an amazing team of people to make it happen. I’m proud of you all for making this a reality, see you next year.

Studio 561 Annual Art Sale December 12-13

  • December 10, 2009 2:17 pm

studio 561 art sale flyer

Please come out to support their upcoming holiday sale, where designers, painters and artists of all mediums will be selling their work.

And if you are an artist that would like the opportunity to sell some of your work in this art sale on Dec. 12 &13 and or Dec. 19th & 20 please get at Natalie Osborne at nnoart@yahoo.com

Studio 561 is proud to invite you to the first weekend of our Annual Art Sale!!! Come and celebrate the Arts, buy some Original gifts this holiday season, and enjoy the atmosphere! Admission is free! You are our guests.

Location: 561 Bloor st. W, Toronto just steps away from the Bathurst train station

Date: December 12th and 13th 2009

Time: 2pm-10pm

Contemporary Paintings, Photography, Original Jewelry, and Vintage Fashions!

Live Music! Free Hot CoCo!

I Marcus Garvey Feb 5-6, 2010

  • December 10, 2009 2:08 pm

i_marcus_g_promo2

He inspired Africans at home and abroad, now let his story inspire you today!

I Marcus Garvey
By Edgar Nkosi White
Sponsored by TD Bank Financial Group

A Showcase Presentation- Directed by Rhoma Spencer

Featuring Sarah Michelle Brown, Colin Doyle, Owen ‘Blakka’ Ellis, Quancetia Hamilton, Andrew Moodie and Anand Rajaram

Music Direction Roger Gibbs
Multimedia Kara Springer
Sound Design Renee Marc Barrow
Set/Costumes- Julia Tribe and Silvia Temis
Stage Manager Yvette Martin

Post show discussion on ‘The influence of Garvey on popular culture and African Diasporic identity’ with Christian Campbell. Feb 6 & 7 only.

Fri Feb 5 & Sat Feb 6, 2010. Papermill Theatre, 67 Pottery Rd. Toronto. Showtime: 7.30pm

Sun Feb 7. William Doo Auditorium, New College U of T. 45 Willcocks St. Toronto
Showtime: 2.30pm

Admission: $10. Students $5.
Reservations: 416-750-1764 Ext 1.

WHO IS MARCUS GARVEY?

Marcus Garvey 1887-1940 is Jamaica’s national hero and was unique in advancing a Pan-African philosophy to inspire a global mass movement focusing on Africa known as Garveyism. Promoted by the United Negro Improvement Association as a movement of African Redemption, Garveyism would eventually inspire others, ranging from the Nation of Islam, to the Rastafari movement (which proclaims Garvey as a prophet). The intention of the movement was for those of African ancestry to “redeem” Africa and for the European colonial powers to leave it. On his visit to Canada, he spoke to the mainly West Indian and AfriCanadian population in Sydney, Nova Scotia. In his speech he beckoned,” Emancipate yourself from mental slavery”. The excerpt of this speech forms the opening bars of a famous Bob Marley hit, Redemption song.

The play ‘I Marcus Garvey’ is a journey of Garvey’s life and activism in Jamaica, England, America and Canada told through multimedia and music.

  • December 7, 2009 10:38 am

Andy Bey and the Bey sisters. One of the Bey Sisters (Salome Bey) went on to pursue a solo career in music. Her daughters (Tuku and Saidah Baba Talibah) also pursued music as part of the rock band Blacksam and are both working on new music now. Salome Bey and her husband also owned a restaurant called The Underground Railroad at King and Sherbourne St. a staple in the black community that was famous for its cornbread (I can attest to that as I used to go there all the time with my parents when I was a child.)

African Canadian Children’s Literary Festival–> Writing Contest and Youth Poetry Slam Sat. Dec. 12, 2009

  • December 3, 2009 6:46 pm

ACCLF youth poetry slam

ACCLF WRITING CONTEST LAUNCH

At the launch, the question for the 2010 ACCLF Writing Contest topic will be revealed, officially opening the contest for entries.  This event will be held on Saturday December 5, 2009 at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) inside the auditorium featuring performances and a  Youth Poetry Slam.


YOUTH POETRY SLAM

All youth between the ages of 12 – 24 are invited to sign up to compete in our Youth Poetry Slam.  $500 in cash will be awarded and divided among the top three winners.  Identification and a $5 registration fee is required from all participates.  Contestants can sign up at the door on the day of the event between 5 – 6 p.m. or online at acclf-06@hotmail.com.


HOSTED BY: HABIBA DIALLO & QUENTIN VERCETTY

MUSIC BY: ROOTS REDEMPTION

PERFORMANCES BY: LOST LYRICS

DOORS OPEN: 5: 00 p.m.

SHOW BEGINS: 6: 00 p.m.


FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK OUT THE WWW.ACCLF.COM/UPCOMING EVENTS.HTML

ACCLF back of flyer


SPONSORS: Canada Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Council of the Arts, Toronto Public

Library, Tropicana, CHRY 105.5 FM & Big It Up

Please Forward All Inquiries To:

Sasha Allison, ACCLF Director Of Operations

EML: acclf- 06@hotmail.com    TEL: 647 835 9794

Olde Tyme Country Wedding: A Pantomime December 5th

  • December 3, 2009 6:38 pm

Olde-Tyme-Pride-Oct-21

Having attended this Pantomime in Scarborough on October 25th, I was completely shocked to learn that the Heritage Singers have been around for longer than I’ve been alive.  The Heritage Singers, from what I understand, originally started out as the Jamaica Heritage Singers and have expanded their mandate.  The story features a young lady named Babs who returns to Jamaica to get married.  It is very diasporic in the sense that the singers-turned-actors, especially Babs who is very Canadian and aware of her diasporic Jamaican heritage.  I was equally impressed with a sunday afternoon full house of various generations of Caribbean peoples.  Both Alvin Curling and Mary Anne Chambers were in the house.  Olde Tyme Country Wedding is very much a family oriented event which had little kids singing along about yam, dumplin and other Jamaican foods.  I totally recommend this pantomime not only because I found the storyline humourous and fun but also because I am interested in the documentation of culture and the preservation of folk culture.  I cyan dun big up this play…

check out heritagesingerscanada.com for ticket outlets and more information.  old-tyme-country wedding