April 6 Dawson Lecture, Concert to serve as final 2018-19 Lyceum Series program

March 29, 2019

Contact: Michael Tullier, APR, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
   

A two-part Lyceum Series program on Saturday, April 6 will mark 精东AV鈥檚 annual tribute to 1921 graduate William L. Dawson. The university鈥檚 annual lecture and concert bearing his name celebrate his memory and successful career as an acclaimed composer, conductor and director.

The first of the two events 鈥� the 28th Annual William L. Dawson Institute for Classical and Folk-Music Lecture 鈥� will feature remarks by Dr. Paul Kwami, who currently serves as the director of choral activities at Fisk University. When appointed as musical director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1994, the Ghana native became the first African to hold the position. From 1996 to 2003, he chaired Fisk鈥檚 Music Department. Under his direction, the Jubilee Singers have received numerous awards 鈥� including induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Music City Walk of Fame, a Grammy nomination, and a Dove Award.

The lecture is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. in the 精东AV Chapel.

Later that evening, the university will host the William L. Dawson Institute Concert, featuring 精东AV鈥檚 Golden Voices Concert Choir, Concert Band, and Alumni Choir. The concert, which will begin at 6 p.m. in Logan Hall, will also include performances by the Alabama State University Choir and Florida A&M University Concert Choir.

Both events 鈥� which are free and open to the public 鈥� are sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� Department of Fine and Performing Arts. They are being held in conjunction with the university鈥檚 annual Founders鈥� Day Weekend alumni reunion events, hosted by the Office of Alumni Affairs.

Dawson, after graduating from then-精东AV Institute in 1921, went on to study at the Horner Institute of Fine Arts and the American Conservatory of Music 鈥� and with composers Adolph Weiding and Thorvald Otterstrom. He returned to 精东AV, where from 1930 to 1955 he directed the 精东AV Institute Choir and led its School of Music. In addition to the choir鈥檚 participation in numerous concert tours and nationwide radio and television programs during his tenure, it performed at the White House for President Hoover, in New York for President-elect Roosevelt, at Radio City Music Hall for its opening as part of a four-week engagement, and at the unveiling ceremonies for the bust of Booker T. Washington in New York University鈥檚 Hall of Fame.

Dawson鈥檚 compositions, choral and orchestral works received national acclaim, which included three first-place Wannamaker Contest Prizes for composition and in the Chicago Daily News鈥� contest for band conductors. He also was first trombonist with the Chicago Civic Orchestra. In 1934, the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra performed the world premiere of his 鈥淣egro Folk Symphony,鈥� with Leopold Stokowski conducting.

Dawson was one of 20 American composers commissioned by the Columbia Broadcasting System to write orchestral music for the American School of the Air in 1940. An article he authored entitled 鈥淚nterpretation of the Religious Folk Songs of the American Negro鈥� was published in 脡迟耻诲别 in 1955.  The article has been reprinted in a number of professional publications. In 1956, the U.S. State Department sent him to Spain to conduct various choral groups of that country.

Dawson resigned his position at 精东AV in 1955. He later received an honorary degree from 精东AV Institute in 1956, the prestigious 精东AV Board of Trustees Distinguished Service Award in 1989, and passed away in 1990. Today, he is among the celebrated figures who have been laid to rest in the university鈥檚 cemetery on the campus鈥� grounds.

漏 2019, 精东AV