Spirituals Royalties Project
When music is published and sold, “royalties” are typically paid to the composers. Since we have no record of composers of the vast number of Spirituals that groups such as Bel Canto sing, we can ask the question, “Is there a way to ‘pay it forward’ to the community whose ancestors gave us this music?” Bel Canto believes it has found a way, playing off an idea of something done at a church in Brookline, MA. Below is a synopsis of the rationale behind Bel Canto's decision to create the Spirituals Royalties Project, gleaned from the work of Susan DeSelms, Minister of Music of United Parish in Brookline. https://www.unitedparishbrookline.org/worship-music/the-negro-spiritual-royalties-project/
Frederick Douglass said:
When on their way, the slaves would make the dense old woods, for miles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the deepest sadness. They would compose and sing as they went along, consulting neither time nor tune . . . I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do.
There is a large body of folk songs created collectively by enslaved Africans in America and their descendants. Black communities prefer the term Negro Spirituals while predominantly white communities more typically say African American Spirituals or just Spirituals. When true artistry was matched by depth of feeling, a depth hard for us to imagine, this music was created and can still resonate with all human beings’ stories of their life journeys.
Experts estimate there are possibly up to 6000 songs in existence coming exclusively from the period of legalized slavery. It is thought they were entirely improvised and evolved according to the preferences of the participants. Many slaveholders recognized the strong musical tendencies of the enslaved and encouraged the singing as it appeared to increase the time and energy of the slaves for work. The self-preservation aspect of singing also built community within their ranks. Singing was a source of strength and comfort, and a mental distraction from the harshness of life. As utterances of the heart, these songs expressed sadness, grief, joy, exhaustion, heartache, humor, courage, anger, frustration, fear, but most importantly, hope. Singing was their prayers.
These songs were not published until after the names of their creators were long forgotten, if they were ever known. Even before the Civil War, these songs had begun to make their way into the collective memory of all Americans. Since then, these songs are the source of countless musical arrangements and compositions published and sold to a wide range of music ensembles.
The method at United Parish in Brookline is to take up a collection on any given Sunday when the church choir sings a Spiritual, and this money is given to a local non-profit creating opportunities in the arts for black communities in Boston.
In 2022, the Bel Canto Board of Directors decided to create such a project, revising the church's method of collection, and simply setting aside an amount per Spiritual that we perform at each concert. Bel Canto began making a “royalties” donation of $100 for each Spiritual performed.
Three years later, the fund was built up and a way was found to “pay it forward” in an appropriate way locally. We are now partnering with the Upper Valley Music Center (UVMC) (https://uvmusic.org/) and the Upper Valley BIPOC Network (UVBN) (https://www.uppervalleybusinessalliance.com/upper-valley-bipoc-network/) to create events to serve the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community. UVBN had their annual Barbeque picnic on August 12 at Civic Memorial Park in West Lebanon, and the Spirituals Royalties Project was able to provide $1300 to fund the entertainment: a drumming and dance session with the Shidaa African Drumming Project. Led by Ghanaian drummer Jordan Mensah and dancer Samuel Maama Marquaye, this family-friendly performance featured movement, and cultural celebrations of Ghana and West Africa. To quote Emmanuel Ajavon, member of the UVBN Steering Committee,
“The Barbeque itself was a wonderful success, and without a doubt the Shidda African Drummers were the highlight of the day. As both performers and music educators, they brought so much more than music. Their charisma, warmth, and generosity of spirit created an atmosphere of joy and connection. They stayed with us throughout the event, engaging with everyone and leaving a lasting impression. It was simply great vibes all around. Looking ahead, we are eager to continue offering workshops and events like this, which our community deeply wants and needs. Your generosity, thoughtfulness, and commitment to supporting the BIPOC community mean so much to us. With your partnership, we turned a vision into reality and set the stage for future programs. The BBQ was a vivid reminder of how music can strengthen community and celebrate culture, and we are excited to build on this momentum together.”
A committee made up of Benjamin Van Vliet (UVMC Executive Director), Erin Jenkins Smith (UVMC Education Director), Emanuel Ajavon, and Bel Canto member Marla Walters will work together, as the amount in the account grows, to brainstorm ideas for public events similar to what is described above. Other possible ideas are to have a gospel music concert and to fund performances by black artists. As more groups enter the project, more ideas for events could naturally emerge.
Going forward, money will be donated to the Upper Valley Music Center (UVMC) by check with “Spirituals Royalties Project” written on the memo line. This money will accumulate and will be kept solely for this project. A cover letter should accompany the donation check with complete contact information. Any group who donates will receive, at minimum, an annual report in the summer regarding the current balance and any plans for events; each group will stay informed regarding how the money donated is spent.
Questions about joining Bel Canto in this project?
Email [email protected] with “Spirituals Royalties Project” on the subject line.
Frederick Douglass said:
When on their way, the slaves would make the dense old woods, for miles around, reverberate with their wild songs, revealing at once the highest joy and the deepest sadness. They would compose and sing as they went along, consulting neither time nor tune . . . I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do.
There is a large body of folk songs created collectively by enslaved Africans in America and their descendants. Black communities prefer the term Negro Spirituals while predominantly white communities more typically say African American Spirituals or just Spirituals. When true artistry was matched by depth of feeling, a depth hard for us to imagine, this music was created and can still resonate with all human beings’ stories of their life journeys.
Experts estimate there are possibly up to 6000 songs in existence coming exclusively from the period of legalized slavery. It is thought they were entirely improvised and evolved according to the preferences of the participants. Many slaveholders recognized the strong musical tendencies of the enslaved and encouraged the singing as it appeared to increase the time and energy of the slaves for work. The self-preservation aspect of singing also built community within their ranks. Singing was a source of strength and comfort, and a mental distraction from the harshness of life. As utterances of the heart, these songs expressed sadness, grief, joy, exhaustion, heartache, humor, courage, anger, frustration, fear, but most importantly, hope. Singing was their prayers.
These songs were not published until after the names of their creators were long forgotten, if they were ever known. Even before the Civil War, these songs had begun to make their way into the collective memory of all Americans. Since then, these songs are the source of countless musical arrangements and compositions published and sold to a wide range of music ensembles.
The method at United Parish in Brookline is to take up a collection on any given Sunday when the church choir sings a Spiritual, and this money is given to a local non-profit creating opportunities in the arts for black communities in Boston.
In 2022, the Bel Canto Board of Directors decided to create such a project, revising the church's method of collection, and simply setting aside an amount per Spiritual that we perform at each concert. Bel Canto began making a “royalties” donation of $100 for each Spiritual performed.
Three years later, the fund was built up and a way was found to “pay it forward” in an appropriate way locally. We are now partnering with the Upper Valley Music Center (UVMC) (https://uvmusic.org/) and the Upper Valley BIPOC Network (UVBN) (https://www.uppervalleybusinessalliance.com/upper-valley-bipoc-network/) to create events to serve the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) community. UVBN had their annual Barbeque picnic on August 12 at Civic Memorial Park in West Lebanon, and the Spirituals Royalties Project was able to provide $1300 to fund the entertainment: a drumming and dance session with the Shidaa African Drumming Project. Led by Ghanaian drummer Jordan Mensah and dancer Samuel Maama Marquaye, this family-friendly performance featured movement, and cultural celebrations of Ghana and West Africa. To quote Emmanuel Ajavon, member of the UVBN Steering Committee,
“The Barbeque itself was a wonderful success, and without a doubt the Shidda African Drummers were the highlight of the day. As both performers and music educators, they brought so much more than music. Their charisma, warmth, and generosity of spirit created an atmosphere of joy and connection. They stayed with us throughout the event, engaging with everyone and leaving a lasting impression. It was simply great vibes all around. Looking ahead, we are eager to continue offering workshops and events like this, which our community deeply wants and needs. Your generosity, thoughtfulness, and commitment to supporting the BIPOC community mean so much to us. With your partnership, we turned a vision into reality and set the stage for future programs. The BBQ was a vivid reminder of how music can strengthen community and celebrate culture, and we are excited to build on this momentum together.”
A committee made up of Benjamin Van Vliet (UVMC Executive Director), Erin Jenkins Smith (UVMC Education Director), Emanuel Ajavon, and Bel Canto member Marla Walters will work together, as the amount in the account grows, to brainstorm ideas for public events similar to what is described above. Other possible ideas are to have a gospel music concert and to fund performances by black artists. As more groups enter the project, more ideas for events could naturally emerge.
Going forward, money will be donated to the Upper Valley Music Center (UVMC) by check with “Spirituals Royalties Project” written on the memo line. This money will accumulate and will be kept solely for this project. A cover letter should accompany the donation check with complete contact information. Any group who donates will receive, at minimum, an annual report in the summer regarding the current balance and any plans for events; each group will stay informed regarding how the money donated is spent.
Questions about joining Bel Canto in this project?
Email [email protected] with “Spirituals Royalties Project” on the subject line.