DETROIT, MI (October 7, 2005) – The Wayne State University Symphonic Chorus will perform a special concert as part of the National Association of Negro Musicians Festival of Negro Spirituals. The concert, also featuring sacred choral music, will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Detroit’s Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament on Thursday, October 20, 2005. The concert will be conducted by special guest and WSU alumnus Robert Harris and presented by the Cathedral Cultural Series. Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 at the door and may be purchased by calling (313) 865-6300. The Cathedral is located at 9844 Woodward Avenue between the Davison Freeway and Chicago Boulevard.

The evening’s program will include Negro Spirituals by composers Moses Hogan and Michigan natives Adolphus Hailstork, Robert Harris, and Charles Brown, featuring soloist Frances Brockington, soprano. Along with the Archdiocesan Chorus of Detroit, the WSU Symphonic Chorus will also perform sacred choral works by William Mathias, Robert Harris and Kenneth Jennings. Hailstork is also the second composer in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s history to be commissioned to write a symphony.

Wayne State’s campus will also be the host of events in support of the larger festival.

On Wednesday, October 19, WSU Department of Music will host a conducting clinic with Robert Harris at 1:15 p.m. and a presentation by Harris of his compositional techniques and styles at 3 p.m. A demonstration by Harris and Brazeal Dennard of performance practices related to Negro Spirituals will be held at 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, October 20. The week’s events will culminate into a vocal competition for high school and professional singers from

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 22. All events are being held in Wayne’s historic Old Main building located on Cass Avenue between Warren and Hancock.

Guest conductor and clinician Robert Harris comes will be coming to Detroit from Northwestern University in Illinois where he is currently director of choral activities and professor of conducting. Harris has composed and arranged over 60 choral works, published by the prestigious Oxford Press and Boosey & Hawkes. Harris is a Detroit native, having attended Detroit Public Schools, Wayne State University and Michigan State University. He has been called “one of the finest choral trainers and conductors in the world…” by British composer David Fanshawe.

For additional information about the listed events call (313) 577-1795.