August 7, 2024 • 21 mins
Exploring the Future of Willis C. Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale
Join host Rosanita Ratcliff on this episode of Behind the Curtain as she delves into the inspiring stories and future plans of Willis C. Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale with guests Sharon Vaughters and Janet V. Haynes. Discover the Chorale's visionary plans for the next decade, the impact of their new music director, Alice Tillman, and the legacy they aim to build. Listen in to learn about their mission, programs, and the work they are doing to ensure the continuation of their unique services and perspectives for future generations.
To learn more about the Willis C Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale, check out their:
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rosanita (00:00):
Welcome back to Behind the Curtain, the podcast that
(00:03):
delves into the inspiringstories and future plans of the
artists and organizationsshaping our cultural landscape.
I'm your host Rosanita Ratcliff.
In today's episode, we continueour conversation with Sharon
Vautner.
And Janet V.
Haynes of Willis C Patterson'sOur Own Thing Chorale.
Join us as we explore theirvisionary plans for the next
(00:25):
decade.
The impact of their new musicdirector and the incredible
legacy they're building forfuture.
generations.
Let's get started.
Want to know a bit more aboutthe future plans, because I saw
on the website that there waskind of like a slideshow of a
two year plan for the corral andthe instructional program.
Sharon (00:48):
Well, there's so much to talk about.
I think that as a 50 year plusold organization, it's an
important time for anyorganization.
And I know mostly from highereducational organizations to
review and assess what theirorganization is, what the
mission is, what the vision is,what the immediate objectives
are.
And so we took time, probablytwo years ago, as our 50th
(01:13):
anniversary is coming up toreally look over.
Our mission, our programs, andalso compare that to the
environment, what's going on insociety, what's going on in
music to really feel 1st of all,very solid in the fact that we
believe and strive to have thisorganization survive another 50
(01:36):
years, if not more that weprovide unique.
Services and perspectives to thecommunity, you know, as
students, as audience members,as performers of a particular
style that we still arerelevant, even, you know, in the
(01:58):
2020s.
So that led us to be so what dowe need to do to.
Especially after COVID, reignitesome of these things, as well as
build the foundation forcontinuing these things as Dr.
Patterson did.
Dr.
Patterson is 92 years old, Ibelieve.
And one of his greatest wishesis that we continue in this
(02:20):
process.
It meant so much for him as aperson with limited means
growing up in Ann Arbor,Michigan, who loved music, and
it changed his life, really.
And we believe that that willalso happen into the future.
Of course, that requiresresources.
As far as leadership within theorganization, as well as funds
(02:41):
and space and all sorts ofthings you need to maintain an
organization and have it grow
Rosanita (02:49):
right.
And you just got a new musicdirector.
Yes.
Right.
Sharon (02:56):
Yes.
Rosanita (02:57):
In October, right?
Sharon (02:59):
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
Mid to late October.
She was also one of Dr.
Patterson's students in hisstudio and sang with the Our Own
Thing Chorale.
She, Alice Tillman, is a longtime music educator, taught at
all levels, you know,elementary, middle, high school,
and college.
And she was in the end up publicschool.
(03:22):
So my, both of my kids had herat Forsythe Middle School, and
we got to see her in thosesituations dealing with middle
school kids who are certifiablyinsane, but we knew of her
talent before then as well.
And she is hugely dedicated tothe Our Own Thing Chorale, even
though she is the artisticdirector for the Brazeal Dennard
(03:44):
Chorale, which has its roots inDetroit, she grew up in Detroit
and her Ann Arbor roots arestill here from her teenage
years, singing with the choraleand interfacing with Dr.
Patterson.
I believe people who interfacewith Dr.
Patterson have the opportunityto be supported in so many
different ways that people who,like Alice, who was part of it
(04:08):
when she was a teenager, stillrecognizes being beneficial.
So Alice is a choral conductor.
She's a solo performer, soprano.
And with the Brazeal Dennard shehas the opportunity to conduct
the Detroit Symphony every year,Alice, and she performs all over
the place and her coming to thecorral is the way she described
(04:32):
it.
It was that Brazeal Dennard wasone of her supports and mentors
in music, just as.
Willis Patterson was.
So she feels like these twopeople who supported her musical
career and her, her life.
She now has the opportunity toserve them as director, both
(04:52):
the, I don't think corral andthe Brazeal Dennard crowd.
And one of the things that a bitunique about the Brazeal Dennard
and different than our own thingcorral is that.
I don't think hers is truly acommunity choir auditions are
not required for our choir.
So it gives Alice theopportunity.
She has said to use some of herteaching skills because
(05:13):
whoever's in front of her, shecreates music with them.
Versus, you know, someone whohas chosen to take a course or
have auditioned to get in to aplace and that makes the singers
feel very respected and special.
Rosanita (05:28):
I know that the chorale practices every
Wednesday night.
Yes.
Right.
How often does the choraleperform?
Sharon (05:38):
The crowd would do two to four concerts scheduled a
year, maybe one in the fall,maybe one around the holidays,
maybe one Easter, so three orfour.
And we also received requests.
So that might add to the numberof concerts.
And we also might join in acollaboration, which is what
(05:58):
music in the black church.
Was that we were approached as acommunity expert in this type of
music, although we're not areligious organization as a
collaboration.
So that was very exciting to beable to do that in person after
COVID.
Our first concert back was kindof an introductory concert back
in December where we did someChristmas music, Christmas
(06:20):
spirit, which was wonderful.
So 2 to 4 times a year.
I was going to ask if you wantto sing with us.
You're welcome.
Rosanita (06:29):
No one needs to hear my singing voice.
Sharon (06:33):
I don't want to get you off topic.
Rosanita (06:35):
I wanted to ask, Janet, because you've been there
since the beginning, right?
Janet (06:41):
Yes.
Yes, I have.
Rosanita (06:43):
And so what made you stay?
Not everyone can say thatthey've been a part of an
organization for this manyyears.
Janet (06:53):
That's a, that's a good question.
I come from a musical family andlike Sharon said, early on, I
too, my family and I watchedAmahl and the Night Visitors
coming out of Chicago.
,we had more opportunities tosee African Americans do all
sorts of things, and especiallyin the arts.
(07:17):
And so it was not that unusualfor us to have seen Dr.
Patterson, and I didn't know itwas Dr.
Patterson at the time.
But having been aware of thenumber of African Americans on
screen and on the television, Itwas surprising, but not so
(07:40):
coming out of a musical familyin my church and in my high
school, and I studied piano fromage five.
And so I was very aware of themusic of African American
composers and specifically thespirituals.
I started hearing the spiritualswhen I was probably seven or
(08:02):
eight years old.
And started singing them when Iwas in my church choir and then
into my high school choir.
So that's been in my blood.
Chorale music has been in myblood.
And when I applied to theuniversity of Michigan to the
school of music, I was going inas a piano performance with the
(08:26):
choral music educationbackground.
And also that was what I wantedto study.
Being a black female and I hadnot, even though I had been
taking piano lessons for a longtime, I did not still have the
kind of lessons that wereacceptable, I guess, the
(08:48):
background that was acceptable.
So I was denied entering as apiano performance, even though I
could have very well have beenan excellent pianist.
I was directed to go into voice.
And that really changed me agreat deal, but it also opened
(09:10):
up other doors and otheravenues, and the one avenue was
meeting Dr.
Patterson, and I learned.
From him when I was his voicestudent that he was the person
that performed in a mall in thenight visitors and I stood there
(09:30):
in shock because if you couldimagine this little black girl
sitting in front of thetelevision looking at this black
man singing this role it wouldnever have crossed my mind that
man would be someone that Iwould be standing in his voice
studio.
And not only that, I can say,has become a very, very dear
(09:54):
friend.
So why I'm in the chorale?
Because choral music is in myblood, and I love choral music.
The experiences that I've had inbeing in the chorale, I sang
music from many of the chorales.
The arrangers and composers, Igrew up singing their music,
(10:19):
their spirituals, thearrangements of their
spirituals, and throughout thehistory of the corral, the
corral has done just enormousstuff.
Dr.
Patterson did a symposium thatbrought together all of these
African American composers andarrangers.
(10:40):
And I was absolutely in awe ofthem because they were people
whose music I sang when I was 13years old.
And so I'm standing theremeeting them, talking with them,
hearing them talk about them,giving us their stories.
And so it's been very importantfor me.
(11:04):
I've just had enormousexperience.
In being in the Chorale, we'vegone to South Africa.
We have sung in Canada.
We have sung all over the stateand it's been a wonderful,
wonderful experience.
We've sung on Mackinac Island.
That was, that was amazing inSt.
(11:25):
Anne's church on MackinacIsland.
So the experiences that we'vehad and that I've been a part of
has also been A joy andextremely fulfilling and my
commitment to choral music, mycommitment to the music of our
(11:48):
ancestors, my commitment to themusic of our young composers
that are coming up, and not theleast my commitment to Dr.
Patterson and what he has done.
He is a walking encyclopedia.
Every single concert, he cantell you.
(12:10):
Who the composer is, and he'shad a personal relationship with
that composer, so he can talkabout, we were sitting in his
office and this is what Williamsaid to me and dot dot dot.
And he could also say.
Why that piece of music wasimportant, why that piece of
music was composed or arranged,what was the composer or the
(12:34):
arranger looking to do with it,how that piece of music related
to our ancestors, our enslavedancestors, and why that music
came out of it.
That period and what it did.
Why did the fifth jubilee singerstart and what was their
contribution?
It's not just singing the music,but it is also our learning who
(12:58):
we are, where we came from.
And the fact that the spiritualsis the basis of American music,
all of American music in oneform of another can go right
back to the spirituals.
Sharon (13:17):
Mm hmm.
Janet (13:17):
From Scott Joplin, from jazz, from blues, from the
gospels and the gospel music andspirituals are totally different
genres to rhythm and blues torock and roll, all of that.
It just, it just goes right upthe line.
That's the basis of Americanmusic so that's a long
(13:39):
explanation, but that's why I'mthere.
That's why I continue to bethere.
Sharon (13:45):
One of the things I want to jump in about is the fact
that indigenous people ofAmerica.
Also have American music.
So to add to that, and what I'veseen recently is more and more
exposure, kind of like theAfrican American music, more and
more exposure to the music ofthe indigenous Americans, and
(14:07):
probably have similar stories.
And so some of the musicprobably has some of the same
roots coming out of abuse andtrauma and things like that too.
But I just wanna recognize ourNative American sisters and
brothers as well.
In this, my experience was ablack church that must have been
sort of conservative because wedid hymns and spirituals from
(14:30):
the hymnal.
So there weren't as many choralarrangements, but the melodies
and tunes.
When I started singing thecorral took me back to the way
my mother.
sang to me and sings to me andthe way my grandfather told
stories.
(14:51):
And so it wasn't that, you know,I wasn't a big choral person
back then.
I love music, but you know,because I hadn't heard those
things other than my family, itkind of like brought some of
those back to, Oh, wow.
Other people know those melodiestoo.
There's a whole thing out there,small town, 5, 000 people, very
multiracial, but you know, kindof traditional.
Rosanita (15:11):
And I know that the plan was only for two years, but
let's say 10 years from now,where would you want to see the
instructional program and thecorral?
Sharon (15:24):
Well, we've had these discussions when I was president
and coming in kind of as a newperson.
So that story is that when youstart volunteering for things,
you get volunteered for morethings.
And all of a sudden, then you'rethe president.
And so I'm looking back, lookingat the organization, because my
background.
And training is in highereducation organizations.
(15:44):
As I mentioned before, we haveso much of a solid base and we
don't see that our missionoverall mission will be obsolete
anytime soon.
Our vision might be morerealized, but in 10 years from
now.
Knowing now that anything canhappen like coven.
I think that what we would haveis increased numbers of avenues
(16:07):
of students, getting to theinstructional program, and the
same number of avenues forteachers of the instructional
program that some of them comefrom.
You know, University of Michiganor Eastern Michigan University,
other musicians in the communitywho want to volunteer and give
their service in that way.
(16:29):
And the same will be true of thechorale.
And in particular with thechorale, because we want to pass
along this music that I see thecrowd being diverse in age and
maybe even having a youthchorale.
We want to be able to take thismusic and continue the legacy of
Dr.
Patterson, who was studying frompeople before him or taught
(16:52):
people before him and take itinto the, to the next
generations.
And right now we're very luckyto have Alice join us because
she is a student of Dr.
Patterson.
and has her own experiences, soit feels like a natural kind of
dovetail of the desire topromote and integrate this music
into the canon and to have.
(17:15):
You know, more people experienceit as singers, as students, as
audiences, and to continue ourlibrary collection as well.
So that's something that that wewould also offer.
One of the things I thoughtwould be a sign of success in
the future would be that when amusic student had to go do their
research on something and wantedto look up composers that there
(17:39):
would be maybe the same numberof African American composers
that pop up when you look at theart songs.
And that.
For us, the crowd specificallythat maybe they would end up
linking to our website as anexample of a community
organization, you know, so thatif we get some clicks from
students who are doing research,that would be an indicator of
the future and that we inspireother leaders to take on and
(18:01):
what we're doing
Rosanita (18:03):
and you janet
Janet (18:04):
1 of the things that Sharon did mention earlier is
that we have an enormouslibrary.
We have a library of originalarrangements, we have some of
original compositions, and wejust have a huge library of
African American spirituals.
(18:26):
Some are not sung as often, manyare very familiar and our, our
hope and our plan is to be ableto make that accessible to other
choral groups as well as otherschools of music so that the
music doesn't die away, thatpeople are more familiar with it
(18:50):
and it's readily available forperformance.
And for study.
Sharon (18:57):
And if finances were not an obstacle, what we've also
dreamed of when we've gonethrough our brainstorming about
what the future would be andwhat, what niche we would feel
would be to have a brick andmortar Willis Patterson, our own
thing, music center.
I think it's that Rich of anorganization that it has so much
potential that to have that kindof recognizable thing in the Ann
(19:21):
Arbor community, not necessarilygoing national, but to know that
in Ann Arbor, we have thisspecial music program.
I think it would be veryexciting in terms of community
development and getting themusic out there.
Rosanita (19:34):
It really would.
The home for the library.
Janet (19:38):
Yes, exactly.
Exactly.
Correct.
Rosanita (19:41):
So, I was just picturing it in my head with.
The choral rooms and practicerooms and
Sharon (19:48):
exactly, exactly recording studio equipment, you
know, I mean, everything thatespecially young artists would
want to also see, you know, thetech side of it as well.
Rosanita (19:59):
Wanted to thank you both for agreeing to meet today
and answering the questions,giving more information I have
so many more questions but it'sbeen over an hour.
for having me.
So hopefully this means thatI'll be able to invite you back.
Janet (20:17):
Absolutely.
You're welcome.
And it was very, very nice to behere.
Thank you for inviting us.
Sharon (20:24):
Yes, thank you.
It was a pleasure.
Janet (20:25):
And Rosanita, also say hi to your brother.
Rosanita (20:28):
I will.
Well, that's the end of ourconversation with Sharon Vautner
and Janet V..
Haynes from the Willis CPatterson, Our Own Thing
Chorale.
Thank you both for joining me inthis discussion.
And thank you all for joining uson this episode of Behind the
Curtain.
I hope you enjoyed our deep diveinto the future of Willis C.
(20:50):
Patterson's Our Own ThingChorale.
If you loved what you heard besure to subscribe, leave a
review and share this podcastwith your friends.
Stay tuned for more inspiringstories from the world of arts
and culture.
Until next time.
I'm your host, RosanitaRatcliff, reminding you to keep
supporting the arts anddiscovering the stories behind
the curtain.
Welcome back to Behind the Curtain, the podcast that
(00:03):
delves into the inspiringstories and future plans of the
artists and organizationsshaping our cultural landscape.
I'm your host Rosanita Ratcliff.
In today's episode, we continueour conversation with Sharon
Vautner.
And Janet V.
Haynes of Willis C Patterson'sOur Own Thing Chorale.
Join us as we explore theirvisionary plans for the next
(00:25):
decade.
The impact of their new musicdirector and the incredible
legacy they're building forfuture.
generations.
Let's get started.
Want to know a bit more aboutthe future plans, because I saw
on the website that there waskind of like a slideshow of a
two year plan for the corral andthe instructional program.
Sharon (00:48):
Well, there's so much to talk about.
I think that as a 50 year plusold organization, it's an
important time for anyorganization.
And I know mostly from highereducational organizations to
review and assess what theirorganization is, what the
mission is, what the vision is,what the immediate objectives
are.
And so we took time, probablytwo years ago, as our 50th
(01:13):
anniversary is coming up toreally look over.
Our mission, our programs, andalso compare that to the
environment, what's going on insociety, what's going on in
music to really feel 1st of all,very solid in the fact that we
believe and strive to have thisorganization survive another 50
(01:36):
years, if not more that weprovide unique.
Services and perspectives to thecommunity, you know, as
students, as audience members,as performers of a particular
style that we still arerelevant, even, you know, in the
(01:58):
2020s.
So that led us to be so what dowe need to do to.
Especially after COVID, reignitesome of these things, as well as
build the foundation forcontinuing these things as Dr.
Patterson did.
Dr.
Patterson is 92 years old, Ibelieve.
And one of his greatest wishesis that we continue in this
(02:20):
process.
It meant so much for him as aperson with limited means
growing up in Ann Arbor,Michigan, who loved music, and
it changed his life, really.
And we believe that that willalso happen into the future.
Of course, that requiresresources.
As far as leadership within theorganization, as well as funds
(02:41):
and space and all sorts ofthings you need to maintain an
organization and have it grow
Rosanita (02:49):
right.
And you just got a new musicdirector.
Yes.
Right.
Sharon (02:56):
Yes.
Rosanita (02:57):
In October, right?
Sharon (02:59):
Mm hmm.
Yeah.
Mid to late October.
She was also one of Dr.
Patterson's students in hisstudio and sang with the Our Own
Thing Chorale.
She, Alice Tillman, is a longtime music educator, taught at
all levels, you know,elementary, middle, high school,
and college.
And she was in the end up publicschool.
(03:22):
So my, both of my kids had herat Forsythe Middle School, and
we got to see her in thosesituations dealing with middle
school kids who are certifiablyinsane, but we knew of her
talent before then as well.
And she is hugely dedicated tothe Our Own Thing Chorale, even
though she is the artisticdirector for the Brazeal Dennard
(03:44):
Chorale, which has its roots inDetroit, she grew up in Detroit
and her Ann Arbor roots arestill here from her teenage
years, singing with the choraleand interfacing with Dr.
Patterson.
I believe people who interfacewith Dr.
Patterson have the opportunityto be supported in so many
different ways that people who,like Alice, who was part of it
(04:08):
when she was a teenager, stillrecognizes being beneficial.
So Alice is a choral conductor.
She's a solo performer, soprano.
And with the Brazeal Dennard shehas the opportunity to conduct
the Detroit Symphony every year,Alice, and she performs all over
the place and her coming to thecorral is the way she described
(04:32):
it.
It was that Brazeal Dennard wasone of her supports and mentors
in music, just as.
Willis Patterson was.
So she feels like these twopeople who supported her musical
career and her, her life.
She now has the opportunity toserve them as director, both
(04:52):
the, I don't think corral andthe Brazeal Dennard crowd.
And one of the things that a bitunique about the Brazeal Dennard
and different than our own thingcorral is that.
I don't think hers is truly acommunity choir auditions are
not required for our choir.
So it gives Alice theopportunity.
She has said to use some of herteaching skills because
(05:13):
whoever's in front of her, shecreates music with them.
Versus, you know, someone whohas chosen to take a course or
have auditioned to get in to aplace and that makes the singers
feel very respected and special.
Rosanita (05:28):
I know that the chorale practices every
Wednesday night.
Yes.
Right.
How often does the choraleperform?
Sharon (05:38):
The crowd would do two to four concerts scheduled a
year, maybe one in the fall,maybe one around the holidays,
maybe one Easter, so three orfour.
And we also received requests.
So that might add to the numberof concerts.
And we also might join in acollaboration, which is what
(05:58):
music in the black church.
Was that we were approached as acommunity expert in this type of
music, although we're not areligious organization as a
collaboration.
So that was very exciting to beable to do that in person after
COVID.
Our first concert back was kindof an introductory concert back
in December where we did someChristmas music, Christmas
(06:20):
spirit, which was wonderful.
So 2 to 4 times a year.
I was going to ask if you wantto sing with us.
You're welcome.
Rosanita (06:29):
No one needs to hear my singing voice.
Sharon (06:33):
I don't want to get you off topic.
Rosanita (06:35):
I wanted to ask, Janet, because you've been there
since the beginning, right?
Janet (06:41):
Yes.
Yes, I have.
Rosanita (06:43):
And so what made you stay?
Not everyone can say thatthey've been a part of an
organization for this manyyears.
Janet (06:53):
That's a, that's a good question.
I come from a musical family andlike Sharon said, early on, I
too, my family and I watchedAmahl and the Night Visitors
coming out of Chicago.
,we had more opportunities tosee African Americans do all
sorts of things, and especiallyin the arts.
(07:17):
And so it was not that unusualfor us to have seen Dr.
Patterson, and I didn't know itwas Dr.
Patterson at the time.
But having been aware of thenumber of African Americans on
screen and on the television, Itwas surprising, but not so
(07:40):
coming out of a musical familyin my church and in my high
school, and I studied piano fromage five.
And so I was very aware of themusic of African American
composers and specifically thespirituals.
I started hearing the spiritualswhen I was probably seven or
(08:02):
eight years old.
And started singing them when Iwas in my church choir and then
into my high school choir.
So that's been in my blood.
Chorale music has been in myblood.
And when I applied to theuniversity of Michigan to the
school of music, I was going inas a piano performance with the
(08:26):
choral music educationbackground.
And also that was what I wantedto study.
Being a black female and I hadnot, even though I had been
taking piano lessons for a longtime, I did not still have the
kind of lessons that wereacceptable, I guess, the
(08:48):
background that was acceptable.
So I was denied entering as apiano performance, even though I
could have very well have beenan excellent pianist.
I was directed to go into voice.
And that really changed me agreat deal, but it also opened
(09:10):
up other doors and otheravenues, and the one avenue was
meeting Dr.
Patterson, and I learned.
From him when I was his voicestudent that he was the person
that performed in a mall in thenight visitors and I stood there
(09:30):
in shock because if you couldimagine this little black girl
sitting in front of thetelevision looking at this black
man singing this role it wouldnever have crossed my mind that
man would be someone that Iwould be standing in his voice
studio.
And not only that, I can say,has become a very, very dear
(09:54):
friend.
So why I'm in the chorale?
Because choral music is in myblood, and I love choral music.
The experiences that I've had inbeing in the chorale, I sang
music from many of the chorales.
The arrangers and composers, Igrew up singing their music,
(10:19):
their spirituals, thearrangements of their
spirituals, and throughout thehistory of the corral, the
corral has done just enormousstuff.
Dr.
Patterson did a symposium thatbrought together all of these
African American composers andarrangers.
(10:40):
And I was absolutely in awe ofthem because they were people
whose music I sang when I was 13years old.
And so I'm standing theremeeting them, talking with them,
hearing them talk about them,giving us their stories.
And so it's been very importantfor me.
(11:04):
I've just had enormousexperience.
In being in the Chorale, we'vegone to South Africa.
We have sung in Canada.
We have sung all over the stateand it's been a wonderful,
wonderful experience.
We've sung on Mackinac Island.
That was, that was amazing inSt.
(11:25):
Anne's church on MackinacIsland.
So the experiences that we'vehad and that I've been a part of
has also been A joy andextremely fulfilling and my
commitment to choral music, mycommitment to the music of our
(11:48):
ancestors, my commitment to themusic of our young composers
that are coming up, and not theleast my commitment to Dr.
Patterson and what he has done.
He is a walking encyclopedia.
Every single concert, he cantell you.
(12:10):
Who the composer is, and he'shad a personal relationship with
that composer, so he can talkabout, we were sitting in his
office and this is what Williamsaid to me and dot dot dot.
And he could also say.
Why that piece of music wasimportant, why that piece of
music was composed or arranged,what was the composer or the
(12:34):
arranger looking to do with it,how that piece of music related
to our ancestors, our enslavedancestors, and why that music
came out of it.
That period and what it did.
Why did the fifth jubilee singerstart and what was their
contribution?
It's not just singing the music,but it is also our learning who
(12:58):
we are, where we came from.
And the fact that the spiritualsis the basis of American music,
all of American music in oneform of another can go right
back to the spirituals.
Sharon (13:17):
Mm hmm.
Janet (13:17):
From Scott Joplin, from jazz, from blues, from the
gospels and the gospel music andspirituals are totally different
genres to rhythm and blues torock and roll, all of that.
It just, it just goes right upthe line.
That's the basis of Americanmusic so that's a long
(13:39):
explanation, but that's why I'mthere.
That's why I continue to bethere.
Sharon (13:45):
One of the things I want to jump in about is the fact
that indigenous people ofAmerica.
Also have American music.
So to add to that, and what I'veseen recently is more and more
exposure, kind of like theAfrican American music, more and
more exposure to the music ofthe indigenous Americans, and
(14:07):
probably have similar stories.
And so some of the musicprobably has some of the same
roots coming out of abuse andtrauma and things like that too.
But I just wanna recognize ourNative American sisters and
brothers as well.
In this, my experience was ablack church that must have been
sort of conservative because wedid hymns and spirituals from
(14:30):
the hymnal.
So there weren't as many choralarrangements, but the melodies
and tunes.
When I started singing thecorral took me back to the way
my mother.
sang to me and sings to me andthe way my grandfather told
stories.
(14:51):
And so it wasn't that, you know,I wasn't a big choral person
back then.
I love music, but you know,because I hadn't heard those
things other than my family, itkind of like brought some of
those back to, Oh, wow.
Other people know those melodiestoo.
There's a whole thing out there,small town, 5, 000 people, very
multiracial, but you know, kindof traditional.
Rosanita (15:11):
And I know that the plan was only for two years, but
let's say 10 years from now,where would you want to see the
instructional program and thecorral?
Sharon (15:24):
Well, we've had these discussions when I was president
and coming in kind of as a newperson.
So that story is that when youstart volunteering for things,
you get volunteered for morethings.
And all of a sudden, then you'rethe president.
And so I'm looking back, lookingat the organization, because my
background.
And training is in highereducation organizations.
(15:44):
As I mentioned before, we haveso much of a solid base and we
don't see that our missionoverall mission will be obsolete
anytime soon.
Our vision might be morerealized, but in 10 years from
now.
Knowing now that anything canhappen like coven.
I think that what we would haveis increased numbers of avenues
(16:07):
of students, getting to theinstructional program, and the
same number of avenues forteachers of the instructional
program that some of them comefrom.
You know, University of Michiganor Eastern Michigan University,
other musicians in the communitywho want to volunteer and give
their service in that way.
(16:29):
And the same will be true of thechorale.
And in particular with thechorale, because we want to pass
along this music that I see thecrowd being diverse in age and
maybe even having a youthchorale.
We want to be able to take thismusic and continue the legacy of
Dr.
Patterson, who was studying frompeople before him or taught
(16:52):
people before him and take itinto the, to the next
generations.
And right now we're very luckyto have Alice join us because
she is a student of Dr.
Patterson.
and has her own experiences, soit feels like a natural kind of
dovetail of the desire topromote and integrate this music
into the canon and to have.
(17:15):
You know, more people experienceit as singers, as students, as
audiences, and to continue ourlibrary collection as well.
So that's something that that wewould also offer.
One of the things I thoughtwould be a sign of success in
the future would be that when amusic student had to go do their
research on something and wantedto look up composers that there
(17:39):
would be maybe the same numberof African American composers
that pop up when you look at theart songs.
And that.
For us, the crowd specificallythat maybe they would end up
linking to our website as anexample of a community
organization, you know, so thatif we get some clicks from
students who are doing research,that would be an indicator of
the future and that we inspireother leaders to take on and
(18:01):
what we're doing
Rosanita (18:03):
and you janet
Janet (18:04):
1 of the things that Sharon did mention earlier is
that we have an enormouslibrary.
We have a library of originalarrangements, we have some of
original compositions, and wejust have a huge library of
African American spirituals.
(18:26):
Some are not sung as often, manyare very familiar and our, our
hope and our plan is to be ableto make that accessible to other
choral groups as well as otherschools of music so that the
music doesn't die away, thatpeople are more familiar with it
(18:50):
and it's readily available forperformance.
And for study.
Sharon (18:57):
And if finances were not an obstacle, what we've also
dreamed of when we've gonethrough our brainstorming about
what the future would be andwhat, what niche we would feel
would be to have a brick andmortar Willis Patterson, our own
thing, music center.
I think it's that Rich of anorganization that it has so much
potential that to have that kindof recognizable thing in the Ann
(19:21):
Arbor community, not necessarilygoing national, but to know that
in Ann Arbor, we have thisspecial music program.
I think it would be veryexciting in terms of community
development and getting themusic out there.
Rosanita (19:34):
It really would.
The home for the library.
Janet (19:38):
Yes, exactly.
Exactly.
Correct.
Rosanita (19:41):
So, I was just picturing it in my head with.
The choral rooms and practicerooms and
Sharon (19:48):
exactly, exactly recording studio equipment, you
know, I mean, everything thatespecially young artists would
want to also see, you know, thetech side of it as well.
Rosanita (19:59):
Wanted to thank you both for agreeing to meet today
and answering the questions,giving more information I have
so many more questions but it'sbeen over an hour.
for having me.
So hopefully this means thatI'll be able to invite you back.
Janet (20:17):
Absolutely.
You're welcome.
And it was very, very nice to behere.
Thank you for inviting us.
Sharon (20:24):
Yes, thank you.
It was a pleasure.
Janet (20:25):
And Rosanita, also say hi to your brother.
Rosanita (20:28):
I will.
Well, that's the end of ourconversation with Sharon Vautner
and Janet V..
Haynes from the Willis CPatterson, Our Own Thing
Chorale.
Thank you both for joining me inthis discussion.
And thank you all for joining uson this episode of Behind the
Curtain.
I hope you enjoyed our deep diveinto the future of Willis C.
(20:50):
Patterson's Our Own ThingChorale.
If you loved what you heard besure to subscribe, leave a
review and share this podcastwith your friends.
Stay tuned for more inspiringstories from the world of arts
and culture.
Until next time.
I'm your host, RosanitaRatcliff, reminding you to keep
supporting the arts anddiscovering the stories behind
the curtain.
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