Virginia Union University - Panther Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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Choir members are! Qsittingj Janet Foster, Richmond, Va., Gladys Jerman, Richmond, Va., Barbara Miller, Scottsville, Va., and Claudia DeBerry, Norfolk, Va. Second Row: Odell Hobbs, Director, Melvin Dowden, Richmond, Va., Jimmy Evans, Pelham, N. Y., Edward Whiting, Richmond, Va., Bruce Gray, Richmond, Va., Bruce Bigham, Atlanta, Georgia, William Creecy, Rich Square, N. C,, Frances Watkins, Charlottesville, Va., Phyllis Bell, Richmond, Va., Clare Harvest, East Orange, N. J., Diane Branch, Atlanta, Ga., Bernetta Shaw, Richmond Va., Vernice Smith, Norfolk, Va., Joyce Townsend, Whiteville, N. C., and Jeanie Little, accompanist. Third Rowi James Jones, Cleveland Ohio, Monsell Laury, East Orange, N. J., Nicholas Hulett, Philadelphia, Pa., Victor Hartsfield, East Orange, N. J., James Jackson, Philadel- phia, Pa., Ralph Bolden, Roanoke, Va., Lutrelle Rainey, Newport News, Va., Martin Strother, Richmond, Va., Moses Stith, Petersburg, Va., Carol McNeeley, Oklahoma City, Okla., Alice Meyers, Richmond, Va., Alfreda Bowers, Clarksville, Va., Jean Evans, Stamford, Conn: Janice Braggs, Cleveland, Ohio, Linda Pierce, Suffolk, Va., and Romona Dugan, East Orange, N. J. a s v THE I UNIVERSITY CHOIR The Virginia Union University Choir under the able direction of Odell Hobbs has reached an ascendancy of excellence. Critical acclaim of todayis performances is singularly enthusiastic. For example, in their Annual Winter Concert, held in Richmond's Mosque, the Rich- mond News Leader's critic was so moved that he wrote that it was difficult to believe that voices so young could produce such mature, rich tones. Unionis choir has toured extensively, and in this area was one of the pioneer groups. Audiences in such diverse places as Cleveland, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky, New York, New York, Detroit, Michigan, Stanford, Connecti- cut, Nashville, Tennessee, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and many others have thrilled to their concerts. Archer Nelson, Martin Strother, and Jimmy Jones planning the evening's entertainment. 18

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THE DIRECTGR Mr. Odell Hobbs received the Bachelor of Music Education from the School of Music at Howard Uni- versity and the Master of Music at the Catholic Uni- versity of America, both institutions in Washington, D. C. A native of North Carolina, Mr. Hobbs has directed the Famed Tuskegee Institute Choir and the Langston University Choir, a group selected to repre- sent the State of Oklahoma at the New York Worldis Fair May 17-22, 1965. At Virginia Union University, Mr. Hobbs is actively engaged in extra-curriclar activities as well as Assistant Professor of Sight-Singing and Ear Train- ing, Harmony and Methods of teaching music. He has served as adjudicator in North Carolina and Vir- ginia and was selected to represent all graduates of the School of Music at Howard University as speaker for a testimonial banquet given in honor of the na- tionally acclaimed Warner Lawson, Dean of the Col- lege of Fine Arts. During the summer of 1960, he toured South and Central America with the Howard University Choir. During the summer of 1965, Mr. Hobbs was selected to direct choral music at the University of the British West Indies in T rinidadg however, because of per- tinent demands he accepted the position of Director of Music at Virginia Union University. W1 19