Who is the Raise Chorale?
The Raise Chorale comprises 60+ singers from the Raise Mass Choir, The Ohio State University Gospel Choir, Denison University Gospel Choir, and selected members from Columbus Community. Singers were auditioned from each group to develop a special choir for this recording project.
The Raise Chorale was established in 2004 to prepare an African American Concert Spirituals concert for Black History Month. The Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Raymond Wise, is comprised of singers from the Raise Mass Choir, Denison University Gospel Choir, Ohio State University Gospel Choir, and Columbus community who were auditioned or selected from the various groups.
The Raise Chorale performs a cappella concert Spirituals arranged/composed by Dr. Raymond Wise. Dr. Wise, a native of Baltimore, Md., is the son of C. Dexter Wise Jr. and Rev. Julia Virginia Wise. He began his musical career at three, singing gospel music with his family singing group "The Wise Singers." As a fourth-generation musician, Wise was exposed to and performed oral, congregational, and gospel spirituals early. Wise was educated through the Baltimore City Public School System and graduated from the Paul Laurence Dunbar Community High School in 1979. As a member of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, Wise was exposed to and trained in African American Concert Spirituals' performance by director Hugh W. Carey.
Wise began arranging Concert Spirituals and composing new songs that retained 'the spirit" of the Oral Spiritual and "the style" of the Concert Spiritual. The fruit of his work in this area has resulted in a project entitled "21 Spirituals for the 21st Century." Dr. Wise intended to make the Concert Spirituals more accessible to choirs and groups that might not be exposed to them or regularly perform them. In addition, he wanted to arranged spirituals for formally trained choirs and groups who have consistently performed Spirituals. Finally, he wanted to provide something for choirs of all musical abilities, so the Spirituals in the "21 Spirituals" collection range from simple and moderately difficult works to extremely challenging works.
In 2005 the Raise Chorale released a CD of Dr. Wise's spiritual arrangements entitled "21 Spirituals for the 21st Century." In addition, Dr. Wise also released a songbook and choral music series containing the choral arrangements. Since the release of this project, Dr. Wise's arrangements have been performed by college, high school, church, and community choirs across the United States and abroad.
The 21 Spiritual's concert features selections from the "21 Spirituals" recording along with the stories and narratives upon which the songs are based. The Chorale hopes this collection will help preserve the cultural and musical heritage of Spirituals into the 21st century and beyond. Moreover, they hope that the "God," "Spirit," and "message" within these Spirituals will speak to man's struggle for faith, hope, and assurance in the 21st century. So be inspired and encouraged as you listen to "21 Spirituals for the 21st Century" featuring Dr. Raymond Wise and the Raise Chorale.
Original Raise Chorale Members
Soprano I
Freda Abbot-Ayodele Community
Rebecca Cummings OSU
Grace Francis Community
Ruth McNeil Raise
Janelle Montano OSU
Patrice Turner OSU
Dawnne Wise Raise
Soprano II
Anita Bell OSU
Rae Brown Community
Cynthia Gilbert Raise
La Keitha Johnson Community
Sandra Jones Community
Jeanette Roper Raise
Merin Singleton Denison
Sharon Talbert Raise
Alto I
Laura Bracken Denison
Alisa Johnson Community
Kathryn Kramer Denison
Bonnie Lane Raise
LaRita Smith Community
Noelle Warford Denison
Alto II
Andrea Adams Community
Brenda Bowman Community
Arianna Howard OSU
Olivia Nathan Community
Paula Sellers Raise
Leslie Williams OSU
Tenor I
Roderick Aldrige Community
Vincent Briley Denison
Vickie Callander Raise
Frank Cleveland Community
Jeremy Harmon OSU
Kevin Holland Raise
David Jordan Community
John Nathan Raise
David Powell OSU
Jared Roper Denison
Tracey Sumner Raise
Tenor II
Karen Alsbrooks Raise
Fran Banks Raise
Frank Bassett Community
Cindy Chabot OSU
Cynthia Gowens Raise
Anthony Hayward Raise
Adam Maynard OSU
Curtis Plowgian Denison
Kyle Stephens OSU
Roy Sutton Raise
Baritones
Tim Cooper Denison
Andrew Horton Community
Saidue Karmo Community
Michael Rowland Raise
Dwight Ware Raise
Bass
Chris Cowie Denison
Brett Ferguson Denison
Taylor Ferguson Denison
Frank Lane Raise
Chris Mattox Raise
Recorded live in Swasey Chapel on the campus of Denison University, Granville, Ohio. Doug Moran, John Wirtz, Engineers.
Mixed by John Wirtz & Raymond Wise.
Digital Editing and Mastering by John Wirtz.
Photography by Jerid Davies. Cover art design by Designs etcetera/Linnie Haynesworth.