Making the African-American Spiritual accessible for all people ages 5 to 95. The African-American Spiritual: hidden no more!
Who We Are
Mission Statement
To increase public awareness and ownership of the rich musical tradition of the African-American spiritual. The orally transmitted tunes and texts created by enslaved Africans form the basis of the artwork, constituting the uniquely American performance repertoire in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Arch Angel Productions (AAP) seeks to foster active engagement through concerts, residences, seminars, and in-person and online performances. These events are best implemented through partnerships with schools, universities, churches, and art societies.
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Team Members
We look forward to working on your next project. Send us an email today.
Roy Jennings
Board of Directors: Founder & Artistic Director
Roy Jennings is the founder and artistic director of Arch Angel Productions a NJ nonprofit Corporation for the presentation of African-American concert music, and arts/education projects. Its’ special emphasis is the African-American Spiritual. He was formerly Assistant Minister of Music at the world-renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem where he served as a musician for 25 years. Many of his compositions were created and first performed during his tenure at Abyssinian.
As a choral conductor and through his work at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, Roy Jennings has presented and collaborated with two of the giants in the field of choral arrangements of African-American spirituals, Roland Carter (2005) and the late composer/pianist Moses Hogan (2002). The Forever-Amen Choral ensemble during its’ 15-year history united with choral singers from across the country in the performance and presentation of this great literature, from Edward Boatner to Joseph Joubert.
Appearances at symposia and conferences as performer and lecturer on behalf of the Music of African-American composers and arrangers of spirituals has afforded Mr. Jennings the opportunity to advocate on behalf of this literature’s inclusion in the canon of American concert repertoire. His recent appearances have been at Queens College for a solo Masterclass and a number of choral practice and performance sessions, before the Amistad Commission of New Jersey, and for The African-American Art Song Alliance in Irvine, California.
Mr. Jennings has arranged a variety of hymns, spirituals, and art songs for solo voice and piano. For more information about Roy Jennings see:
Vision Statement
Arch Angel Productions seeks to advance Dr. King’s concept of the “Beloved Community.” The “Beloved Community” is achievable as music allows us to recognize ourselves in the eyes of another as they recognize themselves in ours. This recognition occurs whenever a performer and observer engage in a mutually inclusive experience.
Four Program Areas of Arch Angel Productions
Reaching from ages 5 - 95
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Concert Series "Songs fo the Beloved Community" (Serving Adults)
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K-12 School Presentations "Lift Every Voice and Sing (Serving 5-17)
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College and University Settings "Every round goes higher and higher" (Higher Education)
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Church Institutions "God is a God" (Serving Religious Institutions)
