The Grammy-nominated African American vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock® visited Shenandoah University this past week to engage hundreds of students and community members in a lecture presentation on the history and significance of protest music, and to perform in a sold-out concert presented in collaboration with Shenandoah University’s Conservatory Choir and Harambee Gospel Choir, as well as the John Handley High School Chamber Choir.
Sweet Honey in the Rock® celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, launching a multi-year celebration to honor the group’s storied past, while setting the course for their future as “one of the most dynamic, versatile and still relevant musical collectives today.” Since its inception in Washington, D.C., in 1973, Sweet Honey in the Rock® has thrived as a performance ensemble founded on the mission of empowerment, education and entertainment. Their music fuses finely honed a cappella with a range of folk traditions — possessing both a social conscience and an uplifting spirit that has inspired audiences across the globe. From traditional music to original compositions, the group pulls from a deep well of world, gospel and folk music adding elements of hip-hop, jazz and rhythm and blues.
 |
This project is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts – Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. |
Mid Atlantic Arts fosters and funds the creation and presentation of diverse artistic expressions, connecting people to meaningful arts experiences within the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Established in 1979, Mid Atlantic Arts is one of six regional arts organizations in the United States. It collaborates closely with the National Endowment for the Arts and member state and jurisdictional arts agencies in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
