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History of the Vesper Choir
The Vesper Choir was organized in 1945 under the direction of Mr. A.M. "Pops" Lovelace, who served as both the Chairman of the Music Department and Choir Director. The Choir was named the "Vesper Choir' because it presented the music for the mandatory Sunday evening "Vesper"(6:00 p.m.) services on the AM&N campus. In 1959, Professor Shelton L. McGee became the Vesper Choir Director, a position that he held until his untimely death in January 1999. The leadership displayed by these two men continues to be revered and treasured.
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vesper Choir, an ensemble in the UAPB Music Department is under the direction of Dr. Michael J. Bates, Professor of Music. It is nationally recognized among historically Black colleges and universities for its diverse repertoire and excellent performances. The Choir was named the “Vesper Choir” because it presented the music for the mandatory campus Sunday evening Vesper services during the 1940s- to the 1960s. This 75-80 member select ensemble founded in the 1940s by Professor Ariel Lovelace and conducted for nearly 50 years Professor Shelton J. McGee has a rich choral tradition that includes numerous performances on radio and television, as well as performances across the United States.
Dr. Bates, assisted by Mr. Andee Book, Instructor in Voice and Assistant Choir Director, conducts the Vesper Choir in an entertaining and varied program of classical choral literature, spirituals, choral jazz, commercial music, music of popular appeal and gospel selections. The Choir continues the tradition begum by Professors Lovelace and McGee of studying and performing choral masterpieces and contemporary choral compositions that are of the highest quality. Annually, the Vesper Choir performs Handel’s “Messiah” with orchestra, a tradition begun more than sixty years ago. The Vesper Choir has performed with the Pine Bluff Symphony and with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. Most recently the Vesper Choir was the featured choir with the Arkansas Symphony in the February, 2016 performance of Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” (sung in Hebrew)).
The Vesper Choir, a veteran of radio and television performances, performs at schools, churches, for significant events in the state of Arkansas and at various concert venues across the country. Annual spring tours have taken the Vesper Choir to performances in more than twenty states across the United States, as well as performances at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, other venues in Rome, Venice, Florence, and Milan. Other perforrmances include: The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University Of Illinois, The Clinton School of Public Service, Arkansas Educational Television Network, and other venues. During the 2015 tour, the Vesper Choir performed at the Historic Seventh Day Adventist Church in Greenwich Village, in the Atrium of Trump Tower, and at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC, the 4th largest Christian church in the world. Recently the Vesper Choir was the recipient of a gift over $334,000.00 from AM&N/UAPB Vesper Choir alumnus Mr. John E. Smith (’61) to establish the John E. Smith and Charlene Smith Gaines Vesper Choir Endowment. This past year the Vesper choir had a chance to take another tour out of the country to Spain. Performances were in Madrid and also Toledo, Spain.