In this musical workshop exploring the theme of “Mirrors”, we will focus on the rich musical tradition of Spirituals. Spirituals are musical folk songs created by enslaved Africans following their arrival in North America between 1619 and 1860. Passed down orally through generations, these melodies and stories encapsulate the history, suffering, hope, and resilience of a people who found the strength to sing through their hardships.

As Dr. Everett McCorvey describes, Spirituals speak to the profound ability to tell and re-tell heroic stories of triumph and survival through music. They are deeply rooted in the call-and-response technique, which demands intentional listening and often repetition of musical lines.

Building on Jonelle Sills’s theme of Mirrors, this workshop will invite participants to audibly mirror one another, fostering connection and understanding through the shared experience of these powerful songs.