MEET THE FOUNDER
ORDER OF PROGRAM
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
THE HAF SCHOLARSHIP
AWARDEES
PROGRAM SPONSORS
Good Evening from the “High Art Diva”!
Welcome to HENOSIS.Tonight’s concert is a testament that dreams really do come true. God gave me this vision over five years ago and not only did he give me the vision, he has made provisions. Thankfully, dreams don’t have an expiration date and again together in Unity.My hope is that palates will be pleased and that your souls edified with the selections that will be rendered.
Tonight’s artists are some of the world’s and I am grateful and honored to share the stage with them. HENOSISis the realization of a dream come true and the crystallization of a vision made clear.
Thank you for supporting The HighArt Foundation and enjoy the show.
“T HE T OREADOR S ONG”
P ERFORMED B Y K EVIN S HORT
“C OME IN QUEST’ ORA BRUNA”
P ERFORMED B Y D R. L AT OYA L AIN
“D EIN IST MEIN GANZES H ERZ“
P ERFORMED B Y D R. R ODERICK G EORGE
“S OUS LE DÔME ÉPAIS ”
P ERFORMED B Y D R. L AT OYA L AIN AND D R. E RICA S IMMONS
“S I, M I C HIAMANO M IMI”/”O SOAVE
FANCIULLA ”
P ERFORMED B Y N AG UANDA N OBLES AND D R. R ODERICK G EORGE
“J ASBO B ROWN’ S B LUES/S UMMERTIME”
P ERFORMED B Y T INASHE M CG OWAN AND K IRK N OBLES
“B ESS, Y OU I S M Y W OMAN N OW”
P ERFORMED B Y N AG UANDA N OBLES AND K EVIN S HORT
I NTRODUCTION OF 2023 S CHOLARSHIP
R ECIPIENTS
“H E’ S G OT THE W HOLE W ORLD”
P ERFORMED B Y T INASHE M CG OWAN
“S WING L OW, S WEET C HARIOT”
N AG UANDA N OBLES
“R IDE O N, K ING J ESUS”
P ERFORMED B Y D R. R ODERICK G EORGE
“H ERE’ S O NE ”
P ERFORMED B Y D R. L AT OYA L AIN
“P LENTY G OOD R OOM”
P ERFORMED B Y D R. E RICA S IMMONS
“W ADE IN THE W ATER”
P ERFORMED B Y K IRK N OBLES AND
Q UENNEL G ASKIN
C LOSING R EMARKS
U NITY ( ENSEMBLE)
MEET THE ARTISTS
Dr. Roderick George is an active performing artist and a collegiate vocal music educator. He made his New York Lincoln Center debut as the tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiahat David Geffen Hall and has been heard in recent performances of Adolphus Hailstork’s IWillLiftUpMineEyes with Nashville Symphony, Messiahand Beethoven’s NinthSymphonywith Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Mozart Requiemwith Northwest Florida Symphony and Carmina Buranawith Huntsville Symphony Orchestra. A frequent guest artist with the Aeolians of Oakwood University, latest released self-titled The Chariot Jubilee. is Professor of Music Coordinator of Voice University of Montevallo has recently served on artist faculty of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity based in Alberta, Canada.
Like most great singers, Mrs. Nobles began singing within the supportive walls of her home church. It was there when she discovered a love for singing and developed as a soloist, under the direction of Mrs. Carolyn Henry. Although she was born in Tallahassee, Mrs. Nobles attended Thomasville High School, where she began her classical training. She accepted a full scholarship to attend Florida State University (FSU) and received her Bachelor and Master of Music offers a winning her singing. Mrs. her debut CD
“Homage to the The CD pays tribute who’s sacrifices Opportunity to share Likewise, it takes Personal journey discovering her Mrs. Nobles has the soprano soloist concerts, most made her debut Symphony.
Applauded for her "wonderfully rich," "powerful," and "captivating" voice, American singer LaToya Lain, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, studied voice at the University of Cincinnati - College Conservatory of Music, Florida State University, and the University of Nevada. Before joining the voice faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Lain served on the voice faculties of Central Michigan University, NYU, and Oakwood College, now Oakwood University. Equally at home in the teaching studio and on the performance stage, LaToya continues to perform solo recitals, oratorio, and opera worldwide. She was recently a member of the GRAMMY Award-winning cast Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera New York City.
Versatile bass-baritone Kevin Short is thrilling audiences around the globe in a wide range of repertoire ranging from Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, to Verdi's Attila and Don Carlos, and Bizet's Carmen. Making Switzerland his home now for a number of years, Kevin is also coming to the attention of european theaters and has performed at Paris' Opera Comique, Theatre Caen, Grand Theatre du Luxembourg Oper der Stadt Koln, Staatstheater Stuttgart, Theater Aachen, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, Theater Basel, Theater Bern, Theater St. Gallen to name a few. Kevin also enjoys an active concert schedule and has worked with important orchestras in the U.S. and around the world including the Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, National Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Detroit Symphony, the New York Pops Orchestra, and the Opera Orchestra of New York.
Kirk Nobles “cut his teeth” playing trumpet at his home church in Tyler, TX. With his mother accompanying him on the piano, he would master the art of call and response as the congregation often spoke back to him as he played a spirited trumpet. He later became a student of Jazz, after listening to cats like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan and Cootie Williams. Upon graduating from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nobles enjoyed a career in advertising and marketing, while still playing in local bands. He later studied music at Southwest Texas State University, where he played in the big band and toured with the Afro-Cuban big band Orchestra de Tradicion. Kirk enjoyed a thriving career as a musician in Austin, TX and he says music brought him together with the love of his life NaGuanda Nobles. He enjoys being a father to his beautiful and gifted daughter Kaira and multi-talented son Kirk, II. Nobles enjoys playing all genres of music, but he never strays too far away from his roots and you can hear the gospel flavorings his playing today.
Dr. Erica Vernice Simmons, lyric soprano, is the Professor of Voice and Choir at the North Lake Campus of Dallas College. She earned her doctorate from the University of North Texas at Denton where she was a Teaching Fellow and McNair scholar. Artistically, Dallas Morning News’ review of her title role in the (2021) World Premiere of 'A Lily Among Thorns' in The Winspear Opera House with Das Blümlein Project described her “supply shaping lines and spinning out high notes with a beautiful silvery tone…with a full-bodied low register. She has performed in Spoleto, Italy, Graz, Austria and several opera houses across the U.S. She began with Fort Worth Opera (FWO) as a chorus member in their 2018 production of Porgy and Bess and later became a Studio Artist for their 2021-2022 season.
Mark Trawka, pianist/coach/conductor, joined Pittsburgh Opera as Director of Musical Studies for the prestigious Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Training Program in the 2003-04 season. In the 2006-07 season, he also took on the position of Chorus Master.
Mr. Trawka coaches and performs with the Resident Artists and has also accompanied renowned mezzo-soprano Marianne Cornetti in her Pittsburgh recital appearances. He has worked as a member of the music staff at Houston Grand Opera, and the Dallas Opera. At Portland Opera (Oregon), he was principal pianist and assistant chorus master. Mr. Trawka served as coach/accompanist at Chautauqua Opera and at Glimmerglass Opera for many summer seasons. He has been a member of the coaching faculty at Songfest (formerly in Los Angeles) since 2015. In addition to regularly conducting and leading chorus rehearsals, Mark has conducted several Resident Artist shows including Ricky Ian Gordon’s 27 , Douglas Cuomo’s Savage Winter, and David T. Little’s Soldier Songs.
Clark W. Joseph is Minister of Music/St. John Church, Grand Prairie/Southlake, TX. He earned the Bachelor of Music and Master of Music/Piano Performance (University of Louisiana @Lafayette), Master of Science/Education (Fordham University) and Master of Theological Studies/Theology/Worship (Perkins/SMU). He was also awarded the Doctor of Ministry (Bell Grove Theological Seminary). Finally, he earned the Doctor of Worship Studies (Liberty University). Joseph has traveled the U.S., Africa and Europe teaching gospel music. He has conducted the National Baptist Convention Musical, TBAAL Black Music & Civil Rights Movement Concert, Dallas Symphony Gospel Goes Classical and Texas State Fair, A Night of Gospel. He has worked with Jennifer Holliday, Ledisi, Karen Clark-Sheard, Earnest Pugh, Beverly Crawford, B. Slade and Melanie Fiona. He is a member of National Association of Negro Musicians, Gospel Music Workshop of America, National Convention of Gospel Choirs & Choruses, Phi Mu Alpha and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is the father of three sons and has one granddaughter.
Quennel Gaskin is a pianist, song writer, composer, arranger, teacher, and producer that is passionate about sharing the gift of music with the world. With over 23 years of experience as a musician, Quennel has touched countless lives across the world with his message of love. Quennel has had the opportunity to work with and accompany such artists and ministers as:
Pastor Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, David and Tamela Mann (Mann’s World Family Tour), Myron Williams, Jonathan Nelson, Judith McAllister, Cece
Winans, Juanita Bynum, Kim Burrell, The late Rev. Timothy Wright, Kelly Price, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Pastor
Perry Stone, Bishop Noel Jones, Marvin Symphony Orchestra (Gospel Goes Classical),
R&B Divas of L.A., Ann Nesby, and many more.
FRANCES WILLIAMS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
KEEN WILLIAMS
CAROLYN HENRY SCHOLARSHIP
DARIAN DENT
DR. ANDRE THOMAS SCHOLARSHIP
ORLANDIS MAISE
FRED AND WINNIE ALLEN SCHOLARSHIP
MYLES STURNS-THOMAS
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