Behind The Curtain

Harmonies of Heritage: Sharon Vaughters and Janet V. Haynes of Willis Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale

• Rosanita Ratcliff • Season 1 • Episode 4

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Harmonies of Heritage: The Legacy of Willis Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale - Part 1

In this episode of Behind the Curtain with Rosanita Ratcliff, we dive into the rich history of Willis Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale with guests Sharon Vaughters and Janet V. Haynes. Discover how the chorale and its instructional program began, their mission to celebrate African American heritage through music, and the inspiring journey of fostering a space for diversity and unity. Learn about Dr. Patterson's groundbreaking contributions and the transformative impact of the chorale on the Ann Arbor community. Join us in this exploration of the power of music to unite and inspire.

To learn more about the Willis C Patterson Our Own Thing Chorale, check out their:

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Rosanita:

Welcome to Behind The Curtain with Rosanita, Ratcliff as your host. This week's episode is part, one of Harmonies of Heritage, Sharon Vautner's and Janet V. Haynes of Willis Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale. Explore their journey In fostering a space where voices come together to celebrate heritage, diversity and the power of music to unite and inspire. Thank you both for agreeing to do the interview this afternoon. I'm really excited. When I was a kid, I used to watch the Willis C. Patterson, Out Own Thing Chorale performances. Was talking with my parents because I vaguely remember that. My brother used to play one of the instruments. He wasn't in the chorale but he was in the orchestra program for a little bit of a time. Do you remember him?

Janet:

I remember him from then.

Rosanita:

He was probably very rambunctious. Back then, and so then hearing a reading that it was the 50th anniversary that you guys were celebrating and knowing that you were still around when I moved back to Ann Arbor, just, I was just so excited about that. And was kind of wondering if you could give for the people who are listening, uh, history of the chorale and the instructional program, because there I know there are 2 different things, right?

Janet:

Yes, yes they are.

Rosanita:

So which one came first, the chorale or the instructional program?

Janet:

The instructional program came first. It was, founded in 1969 and Dr. Patterson had been on faculty at the University of Michigan School of Music for about a year. He was the first African American, faculty member at the School of Music. And having grown up Born and raised in Ann Arbor, he understood and saw the deficiency that African American kids were unable, were not being represented in the music classes in the public schools, especially in the grade school level. And he wanted to do something that would enable more kids to feel more comfortable about entering those spaces. And so he started the instructional program. It was launched at First Congregational Church where he was the music director. Classes were held there and the teachers were students from the School of Music. And I happened to be one of those students while I was in school. He was my voice professor. And the kids, the children really flourished in that. That they were offered voice lessons as well as instrumental lessons, and that was piano and violin, and I, and I think a couple of the woodwinds were offered at the time. So, that's how the instructional program started. And it went, and this 1, I cannot remember totally, but it stayed at 1st Congregational Church. until just before Dr. Patterson retired from there. And then it moved to Community Church of God in Ypsilanti. And it was the program was there for a while. Can you continue that story on the instructional program? What it's doing now?

Sharon:

Sure. I think the exciting thing about the instructional program is, is that Dr. Patterson saw potential in these kids and knew that they should be able to be exploring the instruments and their talents as much as everyone else. So now in the instructional program, you know, we all went through COVID. Which was an interesting part of the process. Lessons have been going on at the community church of God in person, and the way they are set up was in group lessons. So, a group of kids would come every Tuesday night and be taught on their instrument. And then if a student had potential or wanted to go on, they would be given individual lessons. And many of the students over the years have gone on. To do music, but that's not the point of it. The point is to give them the access to music and the arts. And some of them have even gone on to start their own program in Kenya, in California, to name a couple. And I think one of the things that the program also prides itself on is kind of the role of the teacher mentor. So it wasn't just going in and caring if, you know, little Sharon. I wasn't in a, you know, knew her scales, but it was more, you know, about being an adult support in the community and kind of enriching the students as a whole person. So now we're coming out of coven and back into kind of a new era, which is kind of interesting sense. It's little over 50 years old. And what we'll be doing is reinstating the whole array of instruments in a community setting. All along, even through COVID, there was a partnership with University of Michigan School of Music, and particularly in piano students were able to take lessons from University of Michigan students who are doing kind of a practicum experience for teaching, and that's still going on today, where they get matched up with a student, and they take them at any level, which gives the students at Michigan a chance to have that experience and have the experience with a. population and then have a, you know, chance for the students and parents to celebrate that at the end of the semester. And in that way kind of enrich the community. So that's what's going on now. And we're really targeting to get instruments started again, since COVID restrictions are less and we still see the interest in instruments. We've had people all along, even during COVID wanting to do individual lessons where we weren't necessarily set up to do that for the community settings.

Rosanita:

For the instrumental instruction, do the students like check out an instrument? Is that what happens?

Sharon:

Yes, part of the program is that instruments will be supplied, so that doesn't give any kind of economic barrier to someone who wouldn't have the means to rent their instrument. The schools have really not been giving instruments out, you know, as much. The instruments were, you know, The program on the students have instruments that are in good shape. So that continues today, where students can check out an instrument. And in the piano program, what has happened is a special partnership where there was a grant written to purchase a large number of keyboards. So students can even take a keyboard home and practice on that keyboard. And during COVID, they, through the University of Michigan, were meeting on Zoom.

Rosanita:

That's, that's great, especially to know that they were able to continue on through coven, or, I mean, even beyond coven, if like someone couldn't make it right then they would still be able to potentially participate. Get practice in or use zoom.

Sharon:

Yes. Well, actually, based on the community standards, they want all online for a certain period of time, probably, probably from right away in 2020 all the way through until this year. They're where they're just getting started back in person.

Rosanita:

And how young can a student be to first start with the instructional program.

Sharon:

Um, I think it's elementary age. I think they probably prefer first grade or students who are getting closer to age 10, but I'm sure, you know, a younger student would be turned away if they, if they could really, they really wanted to do it and goes up through high school. Something that started before COVID, it was offering some adult lessons as well. And the interesting thing about the The relationship between the instructional program and the chorale was that when it first started, the parents also saw what kind of benefit the students were getting out of being able to study music and have that kind of enjoyment in their lives. So the parents wanted a place to do music. And as Dr. Patterson says, that's all it took for him to start the Our Own Thing chorale.

Rosanita:

That just led right into, to that one in terms of how the chorale started, because that's the part that, Like I think really sticks out for me and better. Remember the most.

Janet:

Dr. Patterson was born and raised in Ann Arbor, and during his youth, he attended to Dunbar Community Center, which was the forerunner of the Ann Arbor Community Center on North main and that community center was a center for the black community and all kinds of activities and things were done there and one of the things that was offered was a youth choir, and he was a part of that youth choir. So fast forward to 1971. That thought was, was with him and there were community members that were also interested, some of which had also been in that community choir had grown up with him. And so they wanted him to start a community choir, and he did so so the corral was started in 71 with the sole purpose of performing and preserving the music of African American composers and arrangers. for joining us. Mm hmm. With special emphasis on the Negro spirituals. So that choir started, as I said in 71. As a voice student of his, I participated in that choir in 74, and was there until I graduated. And then the choir disbanded and I can't remember why. But it stopped, I think in 76 or 77, and then he picked it up again. Some of those same community members said, we want to come back. We want to do more of this. And as Sharon had mentioned, there were some parents that had children in the instructional program that also wanted to be a part of the music making scene, so encouraged him to start. So he started it again in 1980, which is when I rejoined and it's been going since.

Sharon:

One of the things that Dr. Patterson said in a recent interview was that one of the niches that the crowd provided was a place or a variety of music so that the only place to sing this type of music was not in the churches. It was another place to be able to sing music that might come from the churches but also spirituals that were in choral arrangements for concert and that there was a definite need in the community. We're doing that. In fact, the name of the corral, our own thing corral kind of came from that, from that need that there were things in Detroit that were happening as far as corrals, some things in Ipsy, but Ann Arbor didn't have that kind of thing. And he knew there was a need. So that became our own thing corral. And I think that title is just wonderful because it is about the whole community. Not just for the singers, but for the audience and other people who might be interested in this singing process. So it's a very, to me, it's, it's such a very special organization.

Rosanita:

It really is. And how did you become involved with the organization?

Sharon:

Well, I am not an Ann Arbor native, but I moved here in 1986 and probably, that's

Rosanita:

enough.

Sharon:

Yeah, I know now. I feel like I'm a Midwesterner. Person from the East Coast, but probably in the 90s, I would say a colleague of mine who was in the Chorale told me about the chorale. And she said, you'd got to come. You'd would really love singing this. I have a undergraduate degree in instrumental music education, but kind of switched and I was working in higher education leadership at the university of Michigan, and she asked me for years and years and years. And I think my hesitation at time was that I was a classic. Sandwich generation. I had younger kids and older parents and younger active kids in Ann Arbor, but you know, the 90s are talked about as the time where kids were overscheduled, you know, so my kids were in Girl Scouts and soccer and music and all these different things. And, you know, as a dual career couple, my husband and I didn't do very many things outside of that. But later in my career, when the kids got older, I actually, you know, my friend, Gene actually regularly asked me probably every six months, you need to come and sing, you need to come and sing. And the other thing she emphasizes, it's non audition. You come and if you, you know, can join in and sing and talk, then you can join this. For me, I ended up retiring early. from the University of Michigan almost 10 years ago because of some health concerns. And some of those health concerns Really generated a lot of stress and anxiety for me. So I ended up retiring early, going on disability and taking care of myself. So in taking care of myself, I also was kind of isolated though. And as I was starting to feel better, my friend, Jean said, you really need to come and sing. And so out of this kind of time of time of life where there's kind of a health crisis for me, the corral was the first thing I did out in the community. And it really changed my life to be able to sit there with a diverse population, but particularly sitting next to other African American women, some professional faculty members working at the U other in other professions, others that came in more from a church background was so inspiring and so uplifting. And the way that Dr. Patterson taught us and accepted us was also uplifting. I spent my life. Most of my life doing career counseling sorts of things. And one of the things we say is that constant improvement in something helps build your confidence and your self esteem. And I really feel like the Corral had done that for me starting, I think, nine years ago. And it's become family. To me, and for me, it's also a full circle because I did study music as a young person all the way through college. And the other, I think, interesting full circle is that I grew up watching a mall in the night visitors every Christmas, which was a first of its kind. It was a TV opera, one act, um, opera that, um, talked about the story of mall and the Kings visiting for the birth of Christ. And we watched that quite religiously. Sat down with my sisters, turned on the TV and watched them. And the ironic thing was that Dr. Patterson was one of the Kings and it was important because previous to Dr. Patterson doing that, most operas cast white singers in roles for black characters. And yes, and they were using not necessarily a, you know, a black face sort of thing, but definitely, you know, not representing. An African American singer. So the story goes that Dr. Patterson went to NBC because it was a, you know, a TV opera by Menotti and told the executives that he knew at least a dozen African American opera singers that could do this part. So they listened to him and gathered a number of opera singers to audition. And he landed the role, you know, kind of therefore breaking the color barrier in opera. At that time and that kind of stage. So I feel like I come full circle to actually get to know this person who probably taught me that black people sing opera, you know, that music was for everyone. I'm sure that, you know, not necessarily conscious of that, but I think that it definitely was part of my childhood. And so being able to then study with him and sing in the corral with him is just been amazing for me too, as a. Kind of a career path and a. Part of my identity.

Rosanita:

So when you joined the chorale, did you know that he was the man who was in that role? No,

Sharon:

no, I did not, but you know, he'd talk about it and other people told me about it. And he would, you know, talk about that experience because part of the corral is really exposing all the different range of music that African Americans compose, arrange, perform. And so when I realized that, you know, and. Talk to him, to him about that. It was a great aha for me. I'm sure he had those ahas all the time. But for me, it was a great, great connection, especially growing up like the students in the instructional program with some of the support and ability. To be high school ensembles at a, at a top level, I played just well enough to get into college, but you know, in my story, I did not have a good instrument. I probably could have gone further. I did not have private lessons like the people. I was usually third chair, the second and first year person had, had been studying music their whole lives and at a private level. So I also resonate with that as well. My parents, Did end up and family helped me get a, uh, uh, professional clarinet going into college. And I remember my band director saying, why didn't they do this before? And, you know, of course it's the expense, but also they needed to make priorities about whether I was serious or not about that instrument. And so I was very. Kind of blessed to be able to have that to go into college. But, you know, just like the students in the instructional program, I really didn't have the means to have that instrument or have those lessons. And one of the things we're doing right now is not a capital fundraising campaign, but one to celebrate the 50th anniversary. And, one of the things we believe that donors will want to give to, our scholarships and, and monies, for the instructional program, because it is such a big support for students.

Rosanita:

It really is. And I just think about how. Some kids can feel really disconnected in school and music gives them such a great outlet and then being around other people who feel the same way about music. Yes, without the pressures of academics, or some kids it just, it must really make, you know, kind of make some kids shine who wouldn't necessarily shine during the school day.

Sharon:

Right, and I think that You know, I'm a student affairs person, which means all the stuff that surrounds academics that helps people learn and being part of extracurriculars like music or in schools where you can major in music is one of those, because you do find your cohort. And my experience growing up is that that. Predominantly white school was a lot of the African American kids were in sports and not in music and maybe not exposed to it. So I think that this program could conserve that niche because some people just want to do music and they want to be able to have that, that foray into the music and may have supportive parents, but maybe parents who did not study music, so they get to have this community support to kind of discover who they are and find their community. I think that's why the chorale for me feels like such a community because it's something that I had growing up, but this is very special to me because it is their other African American performers and learning along, which I didn't have that much. I was the kid where you saw the band and you could find me really fast. And if you know, if you're not major orchestras and things like that too, I mean, it's still exists today. So there's such a need for this because no one believes that the talent is not there or the dedication is not there. It's just access. And that's what the program tries to do.

Rosanita:

Someone I know said that her son was the only chocolate chip in the crowd.

Sharon:

Yes, only chocolate chip in the cookie. Yes. Yes.

Rosanita:

And for the instructional program is that solely instruments or do the students also learn how to compose music as well.

Sharon:

Not at this point, the problem was a little broader when it first started, there was dance and visual arts along with it. And I do believe when someone studies piano, they learn more of those, but composition has never been part of it. But that's an interesting idea.

Rosanita:

I remember reading on the website about the, you have the African American composers, and I think it was, called Kaleidoscope, the program that happened last month. And there is the mention of, was it like a, a library of some sort? Was it a music library?

Sharon:

Well, the chorale, one of the things that we have that is a treasure to us is a collection of music that is very extensive for choral. Music written by African American and or arranged by African Americans or other composers that really study, especially the spiritual African American spiritual and beyond. So the choir has access to that. We would love to be able to have the funds to make that happen. The library, a lending library, that's one of the dreams down the line, but yes, we do have quite the collection. And because Dr. Patterson's history in music spanning such a long range that one of the guest speakers is a composer arranger, Uzi Brown, who Dr. Patterson worked with, who is now, you know, faculty member doing compositions. So there is that wanting to support. African American composers and arrangers. And some of it is simply by exposing the music, but other is, is seeking them out.

Rosanita:

How do you find them specifically? I mean, especially since you're talking spirituals and is it finding ones who that are being newly composed or arranged, or is it looking back in history, trying to find older ones that kind of got lost maybe, or?

Sharon:

One of the associations that supports African American composers, arrangers, and performers is the National Association of Negro Musicians. And that is a place where people gather, just like any other professional conference, to explore the materials. And there are experts out there in the African American spiritual and other areas. Music written by African Americans. So for the spiritual, it's surrounding yourself with people who have an interest in that and who have gone back to study the slave tunes and how they developed and how they turned into choral works through the bisque jubilee singers. You know, so there is a history that Dr. Patterson himself has studied. And that is a network of people out there who are studying that music. So some of the pieces, for example, Dr. Patterson has arranged himself, and there were composers who were doing this. And of course, because of economic situations and access and other resource needs, They did like hidden. I think they're becoming much more unearthed and that's, that's one of the exciting things about being in the corral that we really want to pull those forth. Because the reality is that spirituals are a truly unique American form of music. That came out of such a remarkable in a negative sense experience. And, you know, we believe that the music that the enslaved Africans produce with their limitations, they weren't allowed to bring their culture. They weren't allowed to bring their language, really help them survive. And in some cases escape that enslavement. So it really, you know, deserves a place in history. One of the visionary goals is that, at some point, this music will be part of the classical canon, just like We would find any other composer, you know, so that what we say is that we're not just, we're not just studying dead white guys in music that we're studying musicians from all backgrounds, because some of it will end up as standards. Standard pieces of music. It's fun to be part of a group of people who want to do that.

Rosanita:

It sounds amazing to me and really uplifting because not just with the camaraderie, but also learning more about your own history. Right. And that aspect of the culture that there were people who were composing, even when we didn't know that some people were writing things down. Right. That through the oral tradition, then came writing it down, and it's there, it's just having to find it and so for the people who are finding it I'm like a little jealous because I'm like, Oh, that must be.

Janet:

And I remember some of my early days, especially with the chorale being simultaneously proud and really angry because I had studied music, you know, and I don't think when I was in college in the late seventies that I'm sure the music existed and I'm sure some people knew it, but it was not the way that people got to be faculty members in college, maybe in the HBCUs. Of course, there's a little bit more of that, but yeah, uh, definitely pride and curiosity and you know, I think that the anger also helps to motivate, you know, the sharing because you know, I love every kind of music music coming from my people has a different kind of a hold and that this unique genre of music fills a niche in music. As a whole, there are not many things that are like spirituals that exist. Dr. Patterson is a scholar in African American art songs and art songs that we learned about were by Schubert and Brahms and they're beautiful and the French composers, but that literature exists out of American culture. And, um, one of his books is the Anthology of African American Art Songs. Um, that's a collection that's now being studied more and more. Um, University of Michigan, I think, was one of the first places that has a course on that.

Rosanita:

What exactly is an art song?

Janet:

Okay, so they might take my music degree away, but an art song is a solo piece of music that really incorporates word painting. So it takes the language of often poets or visionaries and Puts it to music in the way that paints the image. So Langston Hughes is used a whole lot. One of the one is, I too dream America. And that's becoming standard, one of the arts songs. So it's I too sing America, I'm the darker brother. So it's from that poem and the music follows that. The rhythm is I too sing America. I am the darker brother and then it flows. I'm not that comfortable singing with you, but you know, but the music, one of our songs is, but I love and, but I love and I eat well. It's very modern. You know, so the, the music really paints the picture of the poetry. And that's what an art song is. Also another characteristic of an art song is that the accompaniment is more a whole piece of music versus simply accompanying the singer or the instrumentalist. It stands on its own in many cases as a composition or arrangement.

Rosanita:

Okay.

Janet:

But especially for the art songs, this collection that everybody uses now comes with a CD of artists singing the different pieces. And there are so definitely examples on YouTube of this music. And some of the people who sang with Dr. Patterson in the studio and sang what they Our Own Thing Chorale and went on to get their advanced degrees or doctorate degrees and are performing started through the instructional program, it's such a rich history.

Rosanita:

Well, unfortunately, we came to the end of today's episode. I really enjoyed the first part of our conversation with Sharon Vautner and Janet V. Haynes from Willis. Patterson's Our Own Thing Chorale. Their dedication to fostering a space where voices come together to celebrate heritage, diversity, and the power of african-American music is truly inspiring. Be sure to come back next week for part two of our interview, where we'll continue to explore the rich history and impact of the chorale. Don't miss it. Until then keep celebrating the music that unites us all. This is Rosanita signing off.

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