Concert honors Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr., a leader in the civil rights movement, sparked celebration at the School of Music Friday. \nIn honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the celebration displayed a history of music through spirituals and protest songs of the civil rights movement. The emotionally charged performance was presented by the IU School of Music in conjunction with the African American Arts Institute.\nThe program consisted of a diverse collection of songs that exemplified the broad range of music encompassed by the African-American tradition. James Mumford, director of the African-American Choral Ensemble, said he was proud to be part of an honorable cause.\n"There is no better way to pay tribute to Dr. King," Mumford said. "Music is a universal language and transcends all boundaries." \nThe music was written by different African-American composers of the 20th century. The list included such prominent names as Distinguished Professor David Baker, Leslie Adams and Mumford. \nThe highlight of the first half was the performance of an excerpt from Baker's "Six Poemes Noir," written for flute and piano. With graduate student Anastasia Antonacos on piano and senior Carl Butler on flute, they enhanced a piece of music that was already good composition. The two musicians performed harmoniously in flawless synchrony and received the loudest applause of the evening. \nButler said he was thrilled to express the importance of the holiday through his music.\n"It is an honor to be a part of this tribute," he said. "I will be delighted if I touch the heart of at least one person with my efforts tonight." \nThe second half of the program began with another masterful rendition of one of Baker's compositions. The "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano" was performed by professors Leonard Hokanson and James Campbell. This was the longest piece of the evening and consisted of a number of intricately woven sequences between piano and clarinet played in varying tempos. \n"It's a piece written for classical players and has a very strong jazz influence," Campbell said. "The whole aesthetic comes from the African-American root."\nThe second half also consisted of contemporary gospel selections performed by the African American Choral Ensemble. The evening's musical festivities ended with the performance of "Lean On Me" by the group. \nBloomington resident Kelly Smith said she enjoyed the evening's performances.\n"I think the concert was impressive in terms of the quality of performance and the selections played by the musicians," Smith said. "They were magnificent. It's a privilege to have experienced this wonderful talent."\nDiversity was prevalent in the cultural heritage of the audience, performers and the music. The music consisted of classical, jazz, choral singing and religious music. \n"(The diversity of the music) tells me that there needs to be more collaboration between groups to highlight art," Mumford said. "It was an excellent tribute to Dr. King, who wanted to see things happen this way. It was beautiful to see varying races and ethnic groups come together to celebrate the joy of music"