On a cool October Saturday three U of M School of Music choirs that make up the Campus Singers gathered inside the chapel of University Lutheran Church of Hope near campus to attend a musical retreat in preparation for their fall concert, Global Voices.
Every semester the Campus Singers focus on learning music from a wide range of cultures, styles, and periods to perform one concert together. Since 2011, the three choirs have come together for their fall concert called Global Voices. The goal of the concert is to expose Minnesotan singers and audiences to music from around the world. In fall 2019, they worked with South African musicians from the ministry group 29:11.
Appreciation vs. Appropriation
Graduate student Christopher McGinley, a conductor for Global Voices, spoke on the importance of teaching music from around the world to students in Minnesota. He stresses thinking about inclusion, diversity, and identity in the music community. While the music and choral industries continue to diversify, McGinley recognizes the significance of asking “is the music that we're doing reflecting the greater values of the world and globalism?”
