A few years ago I served on the public relations committee for Ball Ballet under co-chairs, Laura Currie and Martha Ivester. Their inspired lined up of performers included The Fisk Jubilee Singers. Words can not describe the performance. I can’t believe I had never seen (heard) them perform before. I served on the committee under Tracy Frist for Heritage Ball in 2019. It was to my great delight that her theme of “Discovery” which celebrated the peoples of Tennessee, included a performace by The Fisk Jubilee Singers. They were awarded their first GRAMMY this year for Best Roots Gospel Album for their recently released album, “Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album),” produced with Curb Records.

TPAC ( Tennessee Performing Arts Center) will present Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a performance film featuring the multi-award-winning and world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers, for free to student audiences April 29 – May 14 as part of its annual Season for Young People. Created in collaboration with Musical Director Dr. Paul T. Kwami and producer/director Jon Royal, the film also will be available to the public for $20 via Vimeo On Demand during the same time with proceeds split between TPAC’s nonprofit mission and the Fisk Jubilee Singers Endowed Scholarship Fund.

In Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Dr. Kwami and his current students pay tribute to the original nine members of the Fisk Jubilee Singers and reflect on their roles as students and preservers of this rich legacy. By exploring the personal stories of the trailblazers who paved the way for future generations of this world-renowned ensemble, they invite viewers to learn the significance of the Negro Spirituals and their values in today’s culture and share in the unique bond of this special choral ensemble. A dual concert event celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the film is also a call to action for the bright future ahead for Fisk University and all of Nashville.

TPAC, which has presented in-person performances by the Fisk Jubilee Singers to more than 10,000 students over 14 years, expects 20,000 middle and high school students across Tennessee to view the film during the two-week availability. “TPAC is proud of its arts partnership with the Fisk Jubilee Singers, and we’re honored to join the 150th Anniversary celebration for this Nashville and national treasure,” says Jennifer Turner, TPAC President and CEO. “Pivoting to filmed performances and virtual arts presentations during the shutdown provides a unique opportunity to share the rich history and exceptional artistry of the Fisk Jubilee Singers with a broader audience.”

“Our collaboration with Tennessee Performing Arts Center is the longest educational program we’ve had during my tenure as Musical Director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers,” says Dr. Kwami. “The filming and distribution of this project now enables us to share our rich history and unique music with people around the globe. My students and I are very grateful to Roberta Ciuffo-West and her staff for donating the beautiful costumes to the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Our song, ‘The Blessing’ remains our eternal expression of gratitude to TPAC. A bright future is ahead of our institutions as we thrive and enrich lives through the arts.”

Walk Together Children: The 150th Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers is supported by TPAC Champion Partners Amazon and Bank of America as well as Enterprise Solutions and Delta Dental of Tennessee. Walk Together Children: The 150th  Anniversary of the Fisk Jubilee Singers is produced by Jon Royal and Dona Spangler and features narration by Persephone Felder-Fentress and costume design by Loretta Harper. The film features script and creative direction by Dr. Kwami for the development and teaching of the “Portrait concept.” The current Fisk Jubilee Singers include Eren Brooks, Jeffrey Casey, Allen Christian ‘19, Andrew Davis, Kennedi Hall, Trinity Hervey, Kemani Iwu, Dejuan Jackson, Jr., Kristen Oguno, Arianna Okhuozagbon, Hezekiah Robinson, Micah Showers, Jada Spight, Cortney Towns and Tory Westbrook. Not appearing in the film are Chelseai Cunningham and Anthony Kennedy.