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| Press Release October 06, 2004 |
SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY’S PERKINS SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Signature events include performance by Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, England; 35-plus programs from North Texas’ religious, arts institutions; and A Choral Kaleidoscope to demonstrate the varying uses of voice in religious expression DALLAS (October 6, 2004) – Bringing many of the Dallas area’s diverse religious and arts institutions together to honor the rich cultural traditions in spiritual practice, Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology will launch Art & Soul 2004: Dallas Sings on Saturday, October 23, 2004. The quadrennial series of programs highlighting the interconnection of arts and the spiritual experience will continue through the 2004 holiday season and will include more than 35 events hosted at churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, museums and theaters throughout Dallas. Art & Soul 2004 will be entitled Dallas Sings, with a particular emphasis on the use of the voice in religious expression and experience. Art & Soul 2004: Dallas Sings will launch with the study of the use of the voice in world religious expression with A Choral Kaleidoscope, held on October 23 at First Presbyterian Church in Downtown Dallas. This innovative program will demonstrate the unifying force of the voice in different religious expressions, including the Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American faith traditions. A Choral Kaleidoscope will include performances by the Meadows Chorale, representatives of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, the Highland Park United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and Professional Orchestra, the Hamilton Park Baptist Church Men’s Chorus and St. Mark (the Lion) the Evangelist Catholic Church’s Pride Youth Choir. This year’s Art & Soul will crescendo with a December 11 performance by the Choir of King’s College Cambridge at First United Methodist Church in Downtown Dallas. This will be the first performance in the historic choir’s 2004 United States tour. Internationally recognized as the pre-eminent representative of the great British church music tradition, the Choir of King’s College Cambridge owes its existence to King Henry VI, who, in founding the college in 1441, envisaged the daily singing of services in his magnificent chapel, one of the jewels of Britain’s cultural and architectural heritage. Art & Soul 2004 will be the first of the Perkins-sponsored quadrennial event series since the September 11, 2001 tragedies. "Art & Soul 2004 is an outstanding opportunity for Dallas and North Texas communities to learn more about the use of the visual and performing arts in global religious traditions," said William B. Lawrence, Dean of Perkins School of Theology. "The context in which we live demands respect for and knowledge of diverse religious practices, and the varieties of religious music have become all the more relevant to our understanding. We are honored to be able to unite such fine talent. Art and Soul 2004 will give the community the opportunity to learn more and enrich neighbors' appreciation for one another." Dallas Sings additionally will feature exhibitions, musical and theatrical events. More than 20 institutions, including the Trammell & Margaret Crow Collection of Asian Art, The Orchestra of New Spain, Thanks-Giving Square Foundation, the Youth Choir of Greater Dallas, The Dallas Theater Center, Cathedral Santuario de Guadalupe, The Dallas Bach Society, The Ice House Cultural Center, The Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, Temple Emanu-El, Zion Lutheran Church, Highland Park United Methodist Church, First United Methodist Church - Dallas, Park Cities Baptist Church, will participate. For the latest information on Art & Soul 2004: Dallas Sings programs, please visit www.smu.edu/artandsoul. Underwritten by the Claudia and Taylor Robinson Fund at Perkins School of Theology, Art & Soul began in 1996, following receipt of a posthumous gift from the Robinson estate. The Robinson’s were avid patrons of the Dallas arts community. Art & Soul 2004: Dallas Sings is co-chaired by Roberta Cox, Director of Public Affairs, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University; David Davidson, Director of Music and the Arts, Highland Park United Methodist Church; and Isabelle Collora, Executive Board Member, Perkins School of Theology. About Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist UniversityPerkins School of Theology is one of five University-related official schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. The school was founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church South, now The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Church Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, and Doctor of Ministry degree, as well as the Ph.D. in cooperation with SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. ### Media Contacts: Fran Gallagher Nicole Young
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Copyright © 2004 Art & Soul - Perkins School of Theology SMU |