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On Sunday, March 30, 2014, classical music
filled the air as the Toledo Club and the Maumee Bay Club of
the National Association of Negro Business and Professional
Women’s Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC, Inc.) joined in a partnership
to sponsor the Vocal Arts Competition for Emerging Artists.
The program was held at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist
Church, Rev. James H. Willis, Sr., pastor.
The Vocal Arts Competition for Emerging
Artists is the signature program of the NANBPWC, Inc.
established in 1982 under the leadership of Past National
President Mary E. Singletary. The purpose was to provide a
competitive arena for talented young vocal artists of Africa
American heritage to showcase and demonstrate their artistic
abilities in classical vocal performance as well as assist
them with music scholarships. Scholarships are awarded on
the National Level as follows: $3000.00 for First Place,
$2000.00 for Second Place, $1000.00 for Third Place and
$300.00 for remaining contestants.
This year’s competition presented Errin Duane
Brooks, a tenor who earned a master’s of music degree from
Bowling Green State University in 2011. Brooks studied
under voice teacher Christopher Scholl. He presently is a
member of the Chicago Opera Theater/Chicago College of
Performing Arts young artist/diploma member.
Brooks performed selections from a repertoire
consisting of an Aria from a major opera, an Oratorio
Cantata, a German Lied, a French Melodie and a Negro
Spiritual or work by an African-American composer. His
accompanist was Heidi Fern Clausius who attended graduate
school at Bowling Green State University as a collaborative
Piano Major. The Interlude Entertainment was provided by
Kemesha Williams, an outstanding vocalist from the Toledo
Community.
Brooks was adjudicated by Clarence Smith, and
Deborah Carlisle, who are renown in the Toledo area for
their music expertise. After being adjudicated and
certified as qualified, Brooks will advance to the 49th
North Central District Conference Vocal Arts competition to
be held on May 16, 2014 at the Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel in
Ann Arbor, Michigan. If successful there, he will represent
the North Central District of the NANBPWC, Inc. at the
National Convention in Pittsburgh, PA in July 2014..
The Steering Committee was composed of the
following members from the two collaborating clubs.
The Maumee Bay Club was represented by
Gwendolyn Wilson-Banks, president; Linda Collins, first vice
president; Trevor Black, second vice president and Pattie
Poston. The Toledo Club was represented by Barbara Tucker,
chairman; Denise Black-Poon, president; Wanda Terrell first
vice president; Frances Collins, Ed.D, second vice president
and BJ Tucker.
The Maumee Bay Club and the Toledo Club both
actively perform services to benefit the community under the
umbrella of the national program mandates: LETS: Leadership,
Entrepreneurship, Technology and Service that encompasses
the areas of Health, Education, Employment, Economic
Development, Founders’ Day and Women’s History.
In April 2014, the Maumee Bay Club took a
group of local high school students on its Annual Black
College Tour.
The Toledo Club is holding various activities
and programs leading up to its 2014 Annual Debutante
Cotillion on May 24, 2014 at The Great Hall at the Stranahan
Theater. They celebrated on March 23, 2014 their 50th
Anniversary and Women’s History Program. |
