In the program notes to this past weekend’s Chicago A Cappella concert at the Music Institute of Chicago, Artistic Director Jonathan Miller remarks that “for many of us, the spiritual has at its essence the quality of a gift-- a gift which is not meant to be hoarded, but shared and passed on to others.”  This ethos of sharing and a passionate reverence for the source material were the pillars upon which the nine-member vocal group built their concert of varied spirituals, a testament to the power of this affecting music and to the communicative potential of the human voice.
 
One of the predominant strengths of the spiritual lies in its setting of solo voice against a supporting, often hymn-like accompaniment.  Simultaneously an individual and a group expression, it’s well-suited for a group like Chicago A Cappella, made up of a phalanx of talented soloists who can also step back and blend into a cohesive whole.  Soprano Cari Placy’s passionate music-making and pleading vocal glides in Robert Morris’ “Save Me, Lord!”, tenor Trevor Mitchell’s old-soul singing in “Hush! Somebody’s Callin’ My Name” that seemed to communicate through the ages, and soprano Katherine Kamp’s legato and yet crystal-clear phrasing in Robert Harris’ arrangement of “Go Down, Moses” were all showcases for the solo voice.  The sleeper hit of the evening was tenor Hoss Brock, who who stayed out of the spotlight until singing an audience-rousing high note at the end of Jester Hairston’s “Amen” before going on to be featured in “Am I a Soldier of the Cross.”
 
In fact, it was “Soldier” that perhaps best exemplified the variety of material presented at the concert.  Pairing foreign-sounding parallel intervals in the sung accompaniment with fast vibrato and glissandi in the solo voice, it was the antithesis to classical choral singing and composition.  Precisely because of that unique voice- its recollection of informal groups of congregants letting the solo line and randomly surfacing blues notes migrate from person to person as they sung together- it had tremendous power and impact, a poignant reminder of the strength, resilience, and individuality of this music’s original creators.
 
Kudos to Chicago A Cappella (and to Evanston Township High School ensemble Bazao, which joined CAC for a few pieces) for crafting and sharing this music with the attention, care, and reverence that it so richly deserves.