Celebrating the IU African American Choral Ensemble-s 40th Anniversary

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IU President Michael A. McRobbie and First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie have a conversation with Raymond E. Wise (center), who is the current director of the African American Choral Ensemble. The ensemble celebrated its 40th anniversary this academic year with a banquet in the Grand Foyer of the IU Auditorium.
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IU President Michael A. McRobbie has a conversation with Raymond E. Wise, director of the African American Choral Ensemble.
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The IU African American Choral Ensemble sings a musical greeting to begin the banquet.
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IU President Michael A. McRobbie applauds after the IU African American Choral Ensemble performs.
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Charles E. Sykes, executive director of the African American Arts Institute at IU Bloomington, welcomes the audience to the 40th anniversary banquet.
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IU First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie and IU President Michael A. McRobbie listen to Charles E. Sykes speak.
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IU President Michael A. McRobbie delivers remarks during the African American Choral Ensemble’s 40th anniversary banquet. The ensemble sings not only traditional and contemporary gospel music but a broad repertoire of spirituals, folk songs and formally composed choral works by African American composers.
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Before giving the toast, IU President Michael A. McRobbie talks about how the African American Choral Ensemble has been an important part of the university's "glorious tradition in the arts" and called it one of the treasures of Indiana University and the Bloomington community as a whole.
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Mellonee V. Burnim, a professor of folklore and ethnomusicology at IU Bloomington, stands during the recognition of the African American Choral Ensemble’s past directors. While working on her doctorate in 1975, Burnim became the assistant director of the ensemble. After Director Michael V.W. Gordon left the ensemble following its inaugural year, Burnim served as director until 1982.
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IU Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Multicultural Affairs James Wimbush, First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie and IU President Michael A. McRobbie react to a speaker at the African American Choral Ensemble's 40th anniversary banquet.
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Michael V.W. Gordon, who served as director of the African American Choral Ensemble from 1975-1976, speaks during the anniversary banquet. He was appointed as the first director of the African American Choral Ensemble, and he worked with then Assistant Director Mellonee Burnim to build the ensemble. He spent the remainder of tenure at IU and retired as professor emeritus in 2001.
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James E. Mumford talks about his time as director of the African American Choral Ensemble. He served as director from 1983-2006 and is the ensemble's longest serving director to date. As director, he expanded the ensemble repertoire to include gospel group selection, performed by three gospel groups that emerged under his leadership.
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IU President Michael A. McRobbie and IU First Lady Laurie Burns McRobbie pose for a photo with the 2015-2016 African American Choral Ensemble and the group's director, Raymond Wise.