Robert L. Jefferson

Spirituals and Gospel Music Performance Practice: a Dual Curriculum That Bridges the Cultural Divide Robert L. Jefferson

This book outlines methods in which to develop a curriculum in Gospel Music and Spirituals. Along with discussing the performance practices of Spirituals and Gospel Music, this book also explores the ways in which the teaching of Gospel Music and Spirituals can be used as a conduit to bridge ethnic, cultural, and racial divides. There are cultures that embrace the written or visual learning tradition, while others lean more heavily toward the aural or oral learning tradition. As a result, the perceived differences deriving from these two opposite learning traditions can often create both unconscious and conscious divisions among various cultural and ethnic groups. However, using teaching techniques and performance practices related to both Gospel Music and Spirituals (which use different although related learning approaches), one can create an opportunity to bridge the gap between the aural and visual learning traditions and can create an environment ripe for intra-cultural and cross-cultural communication.