Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology will host a gospel concert on Tuesday, Feb. 28, as part of its Lenten observances.
During this season, Christians around the world will participate in various spiritual disciplines, such as giving up something for Lent, attending special church services, and performing acts of charity.
According to Dubois County Free Press, Rawn Harbor, a former gospel choir director at the University of San Francisco, will play the piano to accompany vocalist Veronica Downs-Dorsey.
Pianist
Harbor currently resides in the Bay Area of California.
Since 1974, Harbor has traveled extensively throughout the country as a liturgist, musician, and lecturer.
He collaborated with ValLimar and Frank Jansen, and Val Parker to create Psalms from the Soul, a two-volume collection of psalmody designed for lovers of gospel music.
Harbor attended several universities, including Furman University, Howard University, the Catholic University of America, the Catholic Theological Union at Georgetown University, and the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.
He received his master’s degree in theological studies from the Graduate Theological Union in 2001.
Other than being the former gospel choir director at USF, he held positions as an adjunct faculty member and director of liturgy and music at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley.
He was also at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University's coordinator for liturgy.
Vocalist
For 40 years, Downs-Dorsey worked as a music educator in the Orleans Parish school system in New Orleans, Louisiana.
She spent 30 of those years teaching at McDonogh 35 Senior High School.
During her tenure, she directed the school choir, which was the first high school gospel choir in New Orleans and also the first to perform at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
The choir has received several awards, including the Best of the Beat Award for best gospel group by Offbeat Magazine, on four occasions.
Additionally, she served as a choir director at St. Monica Catholic Church for many years and was previously the director of the New Orleans Gospel Soul Children.
Currently, Downs-Dorsey leads the Voices of Peter Claver, the primary gospel choir at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church, and is a director of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Mass Gospel Choir.
Additionally, she plays the piano for The New Orleans Black Chorale and is a member of several singing groups.
It includes Tyrone Foster and the Arc Singers, the Davell Crawford Singers, and the New Orleans Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America Inc.
Harbor and Downs-Dorsey will perform at the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel for the concert.
They added anyone is welcome to attend the free event.
Those who will be attending the concert can park their vehicles in the parking lots designated for guests and students.
To obtain additional details, contact Mary Jeanne Schumacher at 812-357-6501 during regular business hours.
On the day of the performance, guests can also receive the latest information by calling 812-357-6611.
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