The conference planning team is excited to welcome Melanie DeMore for a concert as part of the spring conference, April 21 through 23. Melanie will appear in the third session on the first day of the conference.
Singer-songwriter Melanie DeMore has a remarkable voice, weaving the fibers of African American folk music with soulful ballads, spirituals and her own original music. DeMore artfully brings her audience together through her music and commentary. She has toured extensively, singing at festivals, universities, in coffee houses and concert halls. Her recordings “Share My Song” and “Come Follow Me” are heartfelt collections of her music.
In addition to her solo work, DeMore facilitates vocal workshops for professional and community-based choral groups and has taught her program called “Sound Awareness” in schools, prisons, and youth organizations in the US, Canada, Cuba and New Zealand.
DeMore was a California Artist in Residence with the Oakland Youth Chorus for 10 years and has received an award from the Music Educators National Conference for her work with young singers and artists. She is on the music faculty at St. Paul’s School in Oakland CA where she teaches a cappella singing. DeMore is also a founding member of the Grammy nominated, critically-acclaimed vocal ensemble “Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir,” a group that tours extensively in this country and abroad.
DeMore traces her interest in music to her parents who started one of the first Black theater groups in Alaska in the early 60’s. DeMore majored in music at Incarnate Word University in San Antonio, Texas, and later worked as a studio musician, was a member of a melodrama company, sang in the black women’s a cappella group Scintilla, sang for commercials and wrote music for the theater.
DeMore describes her music as “in the African-American folk tradition of Odetta,” to whom she has often been compared, noting, “I have a very, very, very low voice.” She has shared the stage with numerous artists including Buffy Saint Marie, John Prine, Josh White, Jr., Laura Nyro, Sweet Honey in the Rock and Pete Seeger.
Known to the mothers of screaming babies as a human pacifier. Known to the parents of difficult children as the child whisperer, she transforms the raw energy of human beings into flowing rhythms, self empowering awareness, with a sweet top note of humor and not taking oneself too seriously. An admitted kid at heart, Melanie loves to inject her effervescent playfulness into traditionally serious forums and gatherings, reminding us to lighten up, step “out the way” and let our spirits do their dance.
In her own words: “A song can hold you up when there’s no ground beneath you.”
Other features of this conference will be Odysseys with Scotty McLennan and Phyllis Morales, and a service of remembrance honoring those we’ve lost. We’ll also have the chance to meet our colleagues in Connecting Rooms and worship services. For more information about these features of the conference, please make sure your contact information is updated at our website and watch for email from us. Our FaceBook page will also be updated with conference news.
Registration for the conference is now open. Go here to register:
https://uurmapa.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2752248
Tuition is $45.00, a bargain these days. Financial aid is available and you can apply for that by sending a message to [treasurer@uurmapa.org].
This conference will be Zoomed, but two in-person pods will be organized, in Wilmington DE and in Kingston MA. If you wish to attend either of these pods, you can indicate that when you register. More news about pods will be forthcoming.