Transcripts For WRC Viewpoint 20151206

Different. This year it is, 30th presentation, 39 years ago a group of amazing singers in the cathedral choir got together as a source of raising funds decided to present handels sacred oratoryio. The second portion is rejoice and well celebrate the musical traditions of the african method d methodist church. This morning well hear sights and sounds from your singers. Yes, this morning youll hear from two of our featured artists, javon bright, our base soloist and in the second portion youll hear from Joanne Clarke, who will be presenting one of the amazing works from black nativity, the broadway hit black nativity. All right. Here we go. Sample from the singers at metropolitan ame church. Javon bright singing sweet little jesus boy. Sweet little jesus boy we made you be born in a manger sweet little holy child we didnt know who you were sweet little jesus boy born long time ago sweet little holy child we didnt know who you were didnt know youd come to save us lord to take our sins away our hearts we couldnt see we didnt know it was you forgive us lord we didnt know it was you we didnt know it was you [ applause ] wonderful, javon that was fantastic. Thank you. Wonderful. Let me just walk around in front of you and just say thats marvelous. Now, youll be performing in messiah at metropolitan this evening. Yes, maam. Now, is this tell me what your Favorite Music is. My Favorite Music is actually jazz, but i cant sing jazz, so i sing Classical Music because im classically trained. How long have you been singing . Ive been singing since i was 5. Wow. Yeah, singing since i was 5, started in my church choir, and went on up and progressed. I went to Duke Ellington school of the arts, introduced me to Classical Music, and its been a home run since then. Home run, good word. Wonderful, javon bright, and well hear more from the singers and the players and the music and Worship Arts Department at metropolitan ame right after this. Stay with us. This holiday, ford americas bestselling brand is giving you more. The ford holiday sales event. With 0 financing for 60 months on 2015 f150 and focus and 2016 fusion and escape. Plus 1,000 dollars Holiday Bonus cash on 2015 focus and 2016 fusion and escape. Its the best gift ever. Now during the ford holiday sales event get 0 financing for 60 months plus 1,000 dollars Holiday Bonus cash on select vehicles. See your local ford dealer. Welcome back to viewpoint. This morning we are taking a special preview of a wonderful performance coming up this evening at metropolitan ame church in northwest washington. Marty austin lamar is director of worship arts at metropolitan, and handels messiah is a performance that you are the oratorio that youll be performing tonight. Its such a beloved musical work. Talk about how its become such a holiday tradition. Well, you know, it dates back over 250 years. The era, and all of the music, the way of life, the way of communication, everything was very oriented, so what better time of year to ornament our hearts and our souls and minds than with this very sacred works . And so its not only become an international tradition, but its very special here in washington, d. C. , specifically in the africanamerican church community, because there are several churches that will make presentation of handels messiah over these coming weeks. Interpretations . In their own way, interpretations, some do the entire piece, some do aspects, and some do what were doing, classical work and traditions that come from the africanamerican e miss copal church. Youre the director of arts at metropolitan. Talk about how worship and the arts have really evolved over the years. I have seen whats happened the church understood in order to continue to research the masses, you have to constantly find ways to communicate, particularly communicating as it concerns spirituality, and for anyone that has studied any aspect of the bible, you know that music, dance, instrumentation, it is all a part of what it means not only to be of service, but what it means to celebrate how wonderful and how mighty god is, so i think what were experiencing now in this time is a resurfacing of these two worlds coming together and we cannot only praise god through very traditional ways, but we can now incorporate theatrical aspects and dance and we can really fulfill what the scripture tells us as it concerns music and art and praising god in so many forms. No matter what your religious background or beliefs may be, music is especially important this time of year around the holidays. Especially during this time of year, and with all of the tragedy that continues to happen, the violence that continues to happen, i think music is that one thing that regardless of what my faith beliefs are, there is something about the hearing and the feeling of music that calms and soothes and reminds us that there is hope and that even in the darkest of times, particularly now with whats happened in california, that there is still hope and that there is a soon coming king. Now, the production of handels messiah at metropolitan involves not just metropolitan singers. This is a production thats being brought into washington. Yes, we will have an additional 50 guests and they range from dancers, to those in the orchestra, to some of our guest soloists. We have four fabulous young classical singers that will be with us, brittney johnson, laurie simon, devin mercer is our tenor, and you heard javon bright, who will sing all the bass for the messiah, so were very excited. Then in the second portion well feature other singers and youll see the other forms coming into play while celebrating the traditions of african methodists. You have quite an extensive musical background. Well hear a little what you can do musically later in the show. Tell us about your role in the performance. So, i wont be singing necessarily. Ill be conducting all of the works in the second portion. During the first portion, i have a wonderful friend who was new to d. C. , shes the director of worship at the Baptist Church in washington, shell be our guest conductress. So that in itself is an amazing, amazing accomplishment, so my role beyond sunday is that i have the awesome responsibility for making sure that all platforms of worship are met in the highest level of excellence, so thats from posters and signage, to the choir singing, have an amazing staff of musicians that help me, the choirs and the music and liturgy from week to week, so while it is quite a task, its been my greatest joy to be able to serve metropolitan. All right. Well, we cant wait to hear more of what your singers are going to do during this broadcast of viewpoint. Were going to take a break and be right back with more handels messiah. Stay with us. Welcome back to viewpoint. Lets enjoy more sounds of the season now. Take a listen as singer Joanne Clarke performs no room. Well well well it was according to the word there was a virgin a virgin girl you know the mother the mother of jesus she was a wandering around she was trying to find a home for my savior to be born but there was no room no no no no room it was according to the word there was a virgin a virgin girl you know the mother the mother of jesus wandering around trying to find a home a savior to be born no room no room no no no no at the hotel there was no room there was no room i came to tell you we need to make room make room in your hotel in your hotel we need to make room is there room there was no room no room no no no room at the hotel she was trying to find a home for my savior my precious savior to be born but there was no room no no no no room listen if birds have nests in the trees and foxes have holes in the ground why was there no room no room no room no room will you make room at your hotel at the hotel [ applause ] Joanne Clarke with no room, and well be right back with more from the singers and the mu musicians. That was just marvelous. To g were back now with marty austin lamar, and this is such a wonderful time, its been great having you here, and were excited to get a chance to hear you sing. What is your favorite part of the holidays, is it doing this . My favorite part is being with my family. I just absolutely adore being around my family and the generations that are here, and it just warms my spirit. Were very far from my family, so when we get to go home, we really have a wonderful, wonderful time. We know you spend a lot of time at the church and you spend a lot of time getting ready for the celebration tonight. Starts at 5 00 at metropolitan. Starts at 5 00, admission is free, parking is free, then we have the taste of the season that starts from 1 00, 1 00 to 4 30 and tickets are 5. Come and make it a full afternoon. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend a sunday afternoon. All right, marty austin lamar, along with your musicians, nate perry on keys, reggie on drums, thank you so much, Joanne Clarke and javon bright, thank you for your beautiful singing. Now, ladies and gentlemen, marty austin lamar. Thank you. Merry christmas we celebrate. Hang all the mistletoe im going to get to know you better this christmas and as we trim the tree how much fun its going to be together this christmas by your side were carolling through the night and its christmas will be a very special christmas for me oh presents and cards are here my world is filled with cheer this christmas as i look around your eyes outshine the town this christmas by your side carolling through the night and this christmas will be a very special christmas for me by your side were carolling through the night and this christmas will be a very special christmas for me all around the world this holiday, ford americas bestselling brand is giving you more. The ford holiday sales event. With 0 financing for 60 months on 2015 f150 and focus and 2016 fusion and escape. Plus 1,000 dollars Holiday Bonus cash on 2015 focus and 2016 fusion and escape. Its the best gift ever. Now during the ford holiday sales event get 0 financing for 60 months plus 1,000 dollars Holiday Bonus cash on select vehicles. See your local ford dealer. News 4 today begins with breaking news. We have two breg news stories this morning right off the top, good morning. Police now are investigating two different homicides overnight. We just got video into the newsroom. Take a look, Homicide Investigation is under way in prince georges county. Police were called to the scene just before 11 00 last night. A man was shot to death. There is still no information about what led up to the shooting. A reward is available though for information that leads to an arrest in this case. In the district, another man was shot and killed overnight. That shooting happened just on first street in southwest washington. Police are looking for a suspect right now