In this Musical Moment, VocalEssence artistic director and founder Philip Brunelle shares insider information and beautiful music by the composer Rosephanye Powell.
Rosephanye Powell
b. 1962
The African-American composer, singer, and voice professor Rosephanye Powell is a leader among choral composers today. Powell has degrees in voice and music education from Alabama State University (B.M.E), Westminster Choir College (M.M), and Florida State University (D.M.). Powell served as a faculty member at Philander Smith College and Georgia Southern University. Currently, Powell serves as a Professor of Voice at Auburn University, where she has taught since 2001. Powell is frequently commissioned to write pieces for a wide variety of choral ensembles, including professional, collegiate, high school, and children’s choirs. These commission requests have resulted in a large body of compositions, both sacred and secular, that include something appropriate for every choir. Her pieces are grounded in her understanding of text and deep knowledge of the voice.
Suggested choral pieces:
- The Word Was God (Gentry Publications JG2196)
- I Dream a World (Gentry Publications JG2293)
- Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Gentry Publications JG2327)