Stacey V. Gibbs of Detroit conducted the “Hope, Light and Love” concert July 19 culminating Southwestern Michigan College’s intensive three-day choral workshop.

A six-song performance in the theatre of the Dale A. Lyons Building on SMC’s Dowagiac campus reflected two days of rehearsals with the prolific and highly sought-after composer, arranger and clinician.

High school students sang with current SMC Choral Scholars, alumni with Chorllennium and professionals David Carew; director of choral activities; Sarah Bussler, choral assistant; Chelsea Whiteoak, Portage Northern Public Schools; Hunter Schuur, Dowagiac Union Schools; and Tami Brush, Watervliet Public Schools.

High school participants included: sopranos, Kiri Alfieri, Portage Northern; Natalie Mitchell, Paw Paw; Gigi McClellan, St. Joseph; Jillian Torbet, Dowagiac Union; and Paige Emmons, Portage Northern; alto, Lillith Becht, Lawrence; Ariel Bennett, Portage Northern; Ash Goss, Portage Northern; Hailey Amster, Brandywine; Izzy McReynolds, Paw Paw; Kami Crandall, Paw Paw; Addie Sayer, Lakewood (Lake Odessa); tenor, Payton Tucker, Buchanan, Samuel Meisgeier, Stevensville Lakeshore; Elijah Wood, Niles; and bass, Calvin Diamond, Dowagiac; Bobby Vanfleet, Paw Paw; Clayton Sayer, Lakewood.

Chorllennium contributors included Katie Persak, Stephanie Pollard, Beth Gray-Roll, Michelle Warner, Michael Hayes, Jessica Flagel, Taylor Masse, Anthony Tibbitts, Janis Young, Chelsea Whiteoak, Jake Richcreek, Sarah Bussler, Marcus Roll, Hunter Schuur, Tammy Mammel, Heidi Ferris, Lisa Chilton, Kacie Mercer, Megan Laine, Keely Williamson, Sarah Skinner, Jessica Schuur and Abel Munoz.

Trenton Smith, Eliza Johnson, Kirsten Carlson, Brandon Maynard, Jersey Baker, Dominick Lampe, Tressa Hullinger, Trystyn Little, Eleanor Bussler, Grace Phillips and Lucas Rush composed the SMC Choral Scholars.

Best known for arrangements of spirituals, Gibbs is highly acclaimed for his ability to infuse new energy into familiar works without sacrificing authenticity or power.

Gibbs said he chose selections “Hush,” “Down in the River,” “Remember the Children,” “Hallelujah, Amen from Judas Maccabaeus” and “Dance!” in consultation with Carew, who recently returned from Paris.

“You discuss different degrees of difficulty,” Gibbs said, “and use that outline and your expertise to find songs that are going to be engaging that they can feel successful about, yet still difficult enough to not feel bored.”

“The key to pulling this together so quickly is them having the scores for a while, learning it. The first day they did a lot of sectionals. When I came in yesterday, I could go right to work shaping and making music. Music has to have passion. It’s dead without it.

“This gives younger singers an opportunity to sing with musicians a little bit more advanced in their development than they are, which does nothing but add to personal growth. They have worked so hard. Right now, I’m just digging into the detail of the music.”

Gibbs sat on stage with Christine Seitz at the piano while the choir sat in the audience at rehearsal.

“Singing is so physical, sometimes the body needs to rest,” he explained. “It helps them relax and not be exhausted for the full concert and compromise the quality of their performance. That’s my philosophy.”

Though Gibbs saw himself becoming a choir director, he is a management professional with 20 years of experience.

Arranging and conducting clinics are a side gig, albeit a fulltime one.

“I have a different story than Dave, who has been a music educator all his life. I have not been that,” Gibbs said. “We don’t know each other very well, but I said yes to being the clinician for this event because it’s an opportunity to meet new people and to build new musical relationships. I don’t say no because it’s a circle of friends working with friends. It’s the first time I’ve been here, but the SMC campus is very welcoming and music connects people like nothing else.”

Gibbs' spirituals have been commissioned and performed by the King's Singers of England, U.S. Air Force Sergeants, The St. Olaf Choir, the Stellenbosch Choir of South Africa, the University of Southern California Chamber Singers, The Princeton Glee Club, Morehouse and the University of Michigan Glee Clubs, the Wartburg Choir, The Nairobi Chamber Singers, Cantus, Chanticleer and many other college, university, high school and professional ensembles both domestically and internationally.

His music has been programmed at all state festivals, National Association of Music Educators (MENC) festivals, the World Choir Games and regional and national American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) conventions.
His music was featured at the 57th inaugural service for President Obama and family.
Gibbs made his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in 2017. His medley of spirituals was performed by Choir of the World Winner Oakwood Aeolians and “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard.
His arrangement of “Go, Tell It on the Mountain,” performed by True Accord, peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Classical and No. 1 on Amazon Classical Music in December 2019.
In December 2020, his music was performed by the Mangate Ensemble and broadcast on NBC Television in all major markets.

“For me (choral camp) is like professional development every summer,” Carew said. “He’s a celebrity in our world, very well-respected and internationally-known.”