InConcert - January 2020

COMMUNITY EVENT
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
DR. HENRY PANION III, conductor
Henry Panion III, PhD,
is well known for
his work as a conductor
and arranger for Stevie
Wonder, leading many of the world’s top
orchestras on the superstar’s performances and
recordings. He has also served as conductor/
arranger for Aretha Franklin, Chet Atkins,
Chaka Khan, Kirk Franklin, Robin Thicke,
India.Arie and LeAnn Rimes.
Panion’s compositions have been
programmed by many major U.S. orchestras,
and his work as a producer, composer, arranger
and orchestrator has produced two GRAMMY®
Awards, two Dove Awards and a host of other
national music awards and nominations. The
creative force behind Gospel Goes Classical
featuring Juanita Bynum, Jonathan Butler
and the GGC Symphony Orchestra and
Choir, Panion also made history by topping
Billboard’s Gospel and Classical Crossover
Charts simultaneously.
From 1994 to 2000, Panion was chair of
the Department of Music at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham, and he serves
as president and founder of Audiostate 55
Recording Studios & Entertainment Company
and the Gospel Symphony Collection. His
numerous awards and recognitions include
induction into both the Alabama Jazz Hall
of Fame and Alabama Arts Hall of Fame, the
Congressional Black Caucus’ Civic and Cultural
Advancement Award, and appointment to
the post of cultural ambassador for the city
of Birmingham.
Panion holds degrees in music education and
music theory from Alabama A&M University
and Ohio State University, respectively.
CELEBRATION CHORUS
Founded in 1994 by Diana Poe and Odessa Settles, the Celebration Chorus is a community
chorus comprised of singers from across Middle Tennessee who come together every year
in harmony for the Nashville Symphony’s Let Freedom Sing concert.
The chorus is comprised of members of various church choirs, school choruses and musical
organizations, and also includes members of the Nashville Symphony Chorus. The Celebration
Chorus has shared the stage with Melinda Doolittle, Bobby Jones, Yolanda King, The Princely
Players, The Settles Connection, Donnie Ray Albert, William Warfield and Inversion Vocal
Ensemble, among others.
Macy Brown
Gary Burke
Adrianna Clemons
Susan Compton
Sheri Dewald
Kellee Halford
Byron Harvey
Kay Higgs
Dylan Holder
Johna Jackson
Maxine Jones
Tiffany King
Kristine LaLonde
Brittany Lewis-Williams
Lisa Love
Natasha Maclin
Terry Mahoney
Marquan Martin
Terrance McBride
Valerie Ross
Tesia Rucker
Xavier Rucker
Victoria Sanders
Beverly Scott
Gene Shade
Nicole Simone
Kenton Smith
Robert Smith Jr.
Torshia Suggs
Sarah Sultan
Marva Swann
David Thomas
Lauren
Thomas-Williams
Cedric Townsend
Mark Vanden Berge
Ben Whitehouse
Sylvia Wynn
34 JANUARY 2020