INTRODUCTION

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    Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca Fakunle, and I am from Louisville, Kentucky. I'm a sophomore studying Behavioral Neuroscience with aspirations of one day becoming a Medical Doctor. I have 1 older brother and 2 younger sisters. I am passionate about healthcare and technology because of the potential they have to make the world a better place. In my free time, I like to read, sing/listen to music, and exercise. I also love exploring new cultures and traveling. Fun Fact: I was part of a research team that was exploring the role of octopamine in female Drosophila mating behaviors and ovarian germline stem cells. 

   For this term, I am most excited about the off-campus activities that I will have the opportunity to participate in because I believe that being in the presence of spirituals will be an enlightening and enriching experience. I consider myself to have a pretty good background with spirituals and music in general because grew up in a household that was very involved in playing instruments and singing gospel/worship music, and I was exposed to a variety of musical genres from a young age. I have also had the opportunity to perform spirituals in various settings such as performing in the Centre's choir, and at church services, but I'm looking forward to learning more about the intersections between cultural studies, American history, music, and performance practice.

     Through our class lectures, readings, and visits to places such as the Smithsonian's National Museum of American American History and Culture, I believe it will give students the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of spirituals and the role they play in music, as well as comprehension of musical traditions from various cultural backgrounds. In addition, I think the educational off-campus field trips will make students aware of the historical significance behind spiritual music, having learned about the multifaceted relationship it has with American history, culture, and race. I hope this course will provide me with a better understanding of the origin of spirituals, the stories behind them, and how they have shaped the music that we hear today. 




Above I have attached an example of an African American spiritual called "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. This song is about freedom and hope. Musically, the song is relatively simple hence the repetition and call-and-response structure. The harmony and rhythm of each voice group blend well. I felt several emotional expressions and vibrations in their voice. I also noticed this song was an improvisation because the melody was sung differently from the initially composed parts, and the utilization of the instruments added a serious tone and implies a heavenly or powerful journey. It also contains many allusions from the Old Testament in the Bible. I hope you guys found it as empowering as I did! My question is knowing that spirituals were often "coded" songs, do you think there are any hidden messages in this song?


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