The Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater at Asia Society Texas Center
April 25, 2015
April 26, 2015

Each religious tradition featured in the 2016 Voices of the Spirit concert expressed its specific devotional perspective through a distinctive style with a long history —whether through the syncopated beat of the drums and chorus, devotional alabanzas for the Feast Day of the Virgin, traditional Khmer sacred ensemble music, or a cappella intonations of the Q’uran.

The video exploring Voices of the Spirit V, entitled "A Visual Poem,” was created by Folklore Films. Artistic Director Marlon Hall, Producer Danielle Fanfair and technical assistant Shelly Travis worked in collaboration with the Houston Folklife Collection, interviewing the invited participants and assembling a special perspective on their sacred musical traditions.

THE CORTEZ FAMILY 
The group consists of five siblings who have been singing together for more than two decades. Brought up in their grandfather’s church, Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Acres Homes, this group of brothers and sisters continue a long tradition of gospel music in their family. Zacardi, Erin, Eric, Neesha and Erica began singing when they were three, five, seven and nine, respectively, and all are still singing today — as a group, solo and in several other configurations — in churches throughout Houston. They began as an a capella group and have graduated to a variety of styles. For this performance, they return to their roots with rousing renditions from older repertoire popular in traditional African American sacred music.

CANTOR DAN MUTLU 
Cantor Dan is a first generation American born to Turkish parents. Raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Cantor Mutlu fell in love with music during high school and went on to attend the New England Conservatory of Music. After serving as a cantorial soloist at Temple Emanuel of Worcester, Cantor Mutlu pursued a Master’s Degree in Sacred Music at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York City. In 2011, Cantor Mutlu was called to Houston and joined Beth Israel’s senior clergy as only the second full-time Cantor in the congregation’s 160-year history.

CHANDRAKANTHA & DAVID COURTNEY 
A husband-and-wife team who have been involved in Indian music for decades.  Based in Houston, they have taught and performed worldwide. They have produced recordings of and authored books on Hindustani and other Indian musical traditions.

DANZA CHINELOS DEL ESTADO DE MORELOS & BANDA VIENTO MORELENSE DE LOS HERMANOS CAMPOS  

These two ensembles often perform together on various occasions throughout the year, but especially so during the early December days that surround the feast day for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Both groups are family ensembles that draw on the traditions of southern Mexico from which each originates. In general, chinelos are a troupe of colorfully costumed dancers that reveal a blending of indigenous and Catholic traditions. Their outfits spoof the fancy Europeanized manners of the Mexican elite, while simultaneously bearing beloved images of venerated holy personages from the Catholic world. They “dance” their devotion to these images. Danza Chinelos del Estado de Morelos has roots in the state where the contemporary chinelos tradition is most prominent.

Banda Viento Morelense de los Hermanos Campos plays a style of music popular throughout Mexico and based initially on the village brass bands that can be found throughout Southern and Central Mexico. They brought the music to Houston from their native Morelos and now perform regularly around the region, with and without the chinelos. The two groups have been performing together for over fifteen years. Their special bond involves a shared repertoire of dance steps accompanied by a distinctive set of instrumental pieces that are traditionally associated with each other. The Hermanos Campos are the only banda in the Houston area that know these tunes. They all consider it a lucky coincidence and a heavenly blessing to have joined forces in veneration of the Virgin.