RICHMOND, Va. -- One Richmond group is celebrating Black History Month while also promoting diversity and racial reconciliation year-round through music.
Richmond's One Voice Community Chorus is a choir with a cause. Online, they describe their group as an "intentionally integrated chorus bringing a musically diverse range of excellent choral performances to people in Richmond, VA and wherever there are those who need to hear our voice."
John McClean recently joined the group as its artistic director.
"Music is my life, my passion. Unfortunately, with the past few years and the resurfacing of the vitriol and racial hatred, for lack of a better term, this is the best time for us to do what we're doing. To fight that idea of hatred and division, we should find ways to work together and that's what the fine arts are all about," McLean said.
The all-volunteer group took off in 2004. Since then, some members have come and gone while others have stayed around. These days, they're more than 100 members strong and their mission has endured throughout the years. Their pre-concert conversations, educational efforts and the concerts themselves enrich the Richmond community.
Members of the group hail from all over the country and the world, with members originating from places like Canada, Africa, Michigan and Illinois, to name just a few. There are also plenty of Richmond natives who are part of the group, like Mary Ellen Stumpf who has been a member for eight years.
"I grew up in Richmond. I grew up in segregated Richmond, as a matter of fact. I am very grateful for growing up in Richmond in the sixties, in one way. Those were very difficult times, but I was made part of, in my schools, we were made part of the civil rights activities. As high schoolers we would, with our parents' permission, we were taken to the voting sites. We would be monitoring, making sure everybody was not afraid to vote and everybody's rights, everybody was being respected. So I come into One Voice Chorus after many years of being away. I've been back in Richmond a long time now, but all the people I've met I think really bring their own story of where they were in the sixties, seventies, or eighties and I think it's interesting that there's a lot of storytelling. There's the making of music, then there's a lot of personal storytelling," Stumpf said.
McClean, a Black man who is originally from Smithfield, North Carolina, was also active in the civil rights movement and integrated schools along with others in his community.
"I feel like we can touch a lot of those people who may feel some other way and help to open them to the possibility of love, unity, communication," McLean said.
Arnold Woodruff, a long-time member who served as the president of the choir in the past, said he has cherished the opportunity to make friends who are different from him and to learn from them.
"Because again, we still don't mix a lot, socially, religiously. My church is mostly white folks. Then, intellectually, to be exposed to and learn about music that I otherwise probably would not have had a chance to know about or to sing. African American composers that don't do spirituals, that's been a really great learning experience for me, just to learn about those folks, classical musicians who happen to be African American," Woodruff said.
Dr. Pat Rodgers enjoys the singing but also the social aspects outside of the rehearsal room and performances.
"I would normally not have socialized with a group like that before. We have a lot more in common than things we don't have in common. You learn so much, you learn a lot. That's the only thing that's going to break down the divisive bonds in our society is getting to know each other on a personal level," Rodgers said.
Concerts and other activities keep members busy, but they said they get a lot of new requests during Black History Month. Stumpf said that affords the chorus an opportunity to "shine that light". She believes it's crucial to have that emphasis on Black American heritage.
Even when February is over, Woodruff said their mission is ongoing and expanded.
"What we do all year round, I think is what seems to get more focus during Black History Month. I'm glad that it's a month instead of a week, but I think the notion of folks from different backgrounds, different races, different ethnicities, different genders, different sexual orientations, whatever the differences are, can all come together and do something really cool, in this case, make beautiful music. It's trite but it's the universal language and it does things that words and things can't do," Woodruff said.
To learn more about One Voice Chorus, click here. The group is always looking for new members of any age and background.
