CWU’s first-ever Black history and culture musical event celebrates

Zileni Milupi

Assistant Scene Editor

Drill step, thought-provoking poetry and soaring operatic vocals were a few of the many highlights of CWU’s first ever Black history and culture musical celebration, held in McIntyre Recital Hall on May 1.

Under the leadership of Associate Professor of Saxophone Dr. Kendra Wheeler, students of the saxophone studio organized the event in collaboration with other disciplines in the department as a post celebration of Black history month, traditionally celebrated in February.

“Black people everywhere are Black every day, all day of the year, but history and culture can always be celebrated and can always be appreciated,” Wheeler said. “It’s great that we have that history month, but when we’re talking about a rich history and culture of people and peoples, it is important that they are recognized more than just one time a year.”

Thunderous applause and ringing cheers were abundant at the recital hall after each performer demonstrated the artistic beauty of Black culture through music and poetry.

The performers showcased the works of prominent Black artists such as Maya Angelou and opera composer William Grant Still.

Wheeler explained that she wanted as much variety in the genre and style of performances as possible to embody Black influence in classical music.

“When we think about [Black] history and culture and music in particular, we might naturally gravitate towards jazz, which is an African diasporic art form and it’s so important to the history and culture of America as a whole,” Wheeler said. “But from the beginning of classical music in the US, we’ve also had a really strong Black operatic presence as well. So we’ve been involved in classical music for a long time, not only as opera singers, but as composers, violin players and string players.”

Black Student Union (BSU) representatives Clinical Psychology first year Shadaē Ingram and Biology Biomedical first year Tiesha Randle and student Heaven Pollard, performed their modern take on the traditional dance form called hamboning. Hamboning is a rhythmic dance that involves hitting or slapping different areas of the body, including the chest, arms and legs.

The dance form, which has evolved into drill step, originated from slavery, during which drums and other musical instruments were taken from Black people, leaving them to craft alternative ways to create messages through rhythm.

Ingram also performed a poem she wrote herself called “Assault and Battery: Damnation” in which she details the violence and injustices that Black people face on a daily basis.

Ingram used what she called “uncomfortable words” to elicit graphic imagery of death that illustrates the unfortunate reality of Black people in America.

“I use words like ‘decapitated’ and phrases like ‘ripping my fingers off, only two drops of blood fill in,’” Ingram said. “The way I wrote it was to spark that feeling of, ‘Oh this doesn’t feel nice,’ because it’s not nice. As Black people today, we have to live through that not niceness, just to find a little crumb of niceness. So I write it with disturbing words, because I want people to be disturbed and to think about it two or three weeks later.”

Wheeler said she hoped the audience would enjoy their experience at the event.

“I hope they leave feeling inspired and motivated and energetic,” Wheeler said. “And also perhaps feel they might have learned something new, either about a new composer or work or just gained maybe even a deeper appreciation for Black History and Culture.”

Special guest performer Jadrian Tarver

The event featured a special guest performance from Associate Professor of Vocal Performance at Gonzaga University Jadrian Tarver.

Wheeler had reached out to Tarver, who is also her friend and former doctoral classmate at Michigan State University, as he had recently done a similar event at Gonzaga University. Travar explained that he was excited to participate in CWU’s event as he always looks for opportunities to perform music of underrepresented composers of color, specifically Black composers.

Travar performed three songs by different composers with only one half hour rehearsal session before the event. Tarver performed “Sul Margine’’ by Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges, “Prayer” composed by H. Leslie Adams and written by Langston Hughes and “Witness” by Hall Johnson.

Tarver gave his thoughts on the event being CWU’s first Black history celebration.

“I think that representation matters,” Tarver said. “And when you have faculty members and staff members of color, that is important. We live in an era and a time where non-people of color, specifically white people, may feel uncomfortable putting those things [cultural celebrations] on because of things such as cultural appropriation, lack of knowledge in those specific areas. It’s an opportunity for students of color and non-students of color to come together and work together and celebrate the bedrock of American music, which is Black music.”

Tarver further explained how white people can partake and help organize cultural celebrations with care and respect, without appropriating or being offensive. Tarver explained that people not part of the culture being celebrated should establish a connection with people within that community.

“I like to look at it like this, the same way that you’re prepared to play any European composers, specifically like Mozart and Bach and Beethoven, that same interest in researching which you will put into performing, that same thing should happen when performing music by composers of color,” Tarver said. “You need to have the same level of education, the same level of research and the same level of interest.”

Tarver also gave his thoughts on Dr. Wheeler being the first Black Assistant Professor of Saxophone at CWU and stated that he is also the first Black Assistant Professor of vocal performance at Gonzaga University.

“There’s a lot of institutional and cultural racism that is taking place in the Pacific Northwest in certain towns and certain cities where Black people weren’t even allowed to have a career,” Tarver said. “I like to think of it even myself at Gonzaga. I will be the first Black assistant professor of voice here…… I think that academic institutions are making the move in order to diversify these spaces because they understand that it is important, especially for recruitment.”

Tarver said if the opportunity presented itself, he would love to return to CWU and perform or even give a lecture on Black music. Tarver overall expressed that his first performance at CWU was a great experience.

“I will say that it was extremely welcoming,” Tarver said. “The students were helpful, kind and hospitable across the board.”

CWU hired its first-ever Black band direc tor, T André Feagin, in 2020, meaning he and Wheeler are the music department’s only two Black professors. In a January 2022 inter view with The Observer, Feagin mentioned he might be some of his students’ “first Black teacher.”

Feagin talked about the department con fronting the eurocentricity of the music curric ulum and said he hoped to “help the university in its mission of creating a welcoming environment for students of underrepresented and other di verse populations.”

PhotosbyYohanesGoodell