Dedicated to the preservation of Negro Spirituals and the legacy of Dorothy Cotton
DCJS at Carnegie Hall on March 19th, 2022
The Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers Performed at Carnegie Hall together with the world-famous Fisk Jubilee Singers!
learn more about this unforgettable experience!
“We learned that when we are serving, giving our life and energy to something that is important to us as well as to others, life is meaningful. And that we can’t be bored giving ourselves to positive, transformative work.”
Jubilee Singers
DCJS offers deep, human connection and learning for a wide swath of our Ithaca community. Our year-round residents stand as the origin of our group and still serve as dedicated and enthusiastic participants in our work. They are parents, professionals, and retirees from a wide variety of faiths and belief systems. Some have extensive musical backgrounds and some do not, but all bring commitment and spirit to our endeavor.
Participation in DCJS also serves as an educational opportunity for numerous Ithaca College students who have been part of the singing group since the fall of 2012. They have conducted songs for our concerts, created original arrangements, performed solos, run sectional rehearsals, and provided voice lessons, all while finding a deeper sense of belonging and connection beyond the boundaries of campus life.
Finally, DCJS has expanded its reach to touch the lives of Ithaca’s youth. Children from the Southside Community Center’s Afterschool Program have performed with us, as well as students from Boynton Middle School, Ithaca High School, and the Vitamin L Children’s Chorus. Our own Dorothy Cotton Youth Singers was launched just prior to the pandemic and we are excited to reconvene this group in the second half of 2022 in order to widen the impact of this powerful, authentically American music.
Our diverse community singers will continue to seek ways to educate and inspire our community through sharing this repertoire. It is a privilege to come together in Dorothy’s name to pursue this meaningful and moving work.
State of the Art Gallery supports DCJS
Artists Patricia Brown, member DCJS, and Eva Capobianco have created four artworks that illustrate traditional spirituals and modern civil rights songs that DCJS has performed in the last two years. All proceeds from these works will be donated to DCJS fund to commission music for the Good Trouble Suite.
A Renewed America arranged by Stan Spottswood using text from the 1963 speech by John Lewis. Begins with a strong baritone singing “ A great revolution is sweeping through our nation.”
Artist Patricia Brown recalled photographs of the sixties Civil Rights and todays Black Lives Matter protests, as she interpreted musical phrases ” Wake up America. We cannot be patient.”
These works will be on display in “Passages” at State of the Art Gallery, 120 W State Street/ Martin Luther King Jr St, September 1 - October. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday 12 - 5. More information can be found at http://soagithaca.org/