American Spiritual Ensemble

Preserving Voices since 1995

The American Spiritual Ensemble is a critically-acclaimed professional group composed of some of the finest singers in the classical music world. The vocalists have thrilled audiences around the world with their dynamic renditions of classic spirituals and Broadway numbers.

Tenor Dr. Everett McCorvey founded the group in 1995, and many of its members have performed in such venues as the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Boston Opera and the Atlanta Civic Opera. They have also performed abroad in England, Germany, Italy, Japan, Scotland, and Spain.

The mission of the American Spiritual Ensemble is to preserve and continue the tradition of storytelling through the performance and preservation of the American negro spiritual. Performing these spirituals serves as a tribute to the many lives lost or destroyed during slavery in the United States; a horrible time for human kind. These songs, a combination of African, American, and European traditions, create a new type of melody in which a sense of identification was created within the enslaved community. These songs now stand as a testament of the strength found through faith during times of hardship as well as a unifying force among all peoples. These songs are beloved all around the world.

The American Spiritual Ensemble commits to aiding in the preservation of these beautiful melodies through performances worldwide as well as through education in the form of: lectures, master classes and vocal instruction for educational, religious, and community institutions worldwide.

The American Spiritual Ensemble participates in a wide range of concert formats, allowing both performers and listeners to experience the beautiful melodies of our past as well as the history of African Americans in different ways. ASE has had the opportunity to perform in the following formats:
  •     Spirituals: classical arrangements of traditional American negro spirituals in choral and solo format
  •     Broadway: selections of Broadway pieces that highlight the African-American experience as well as celebrate human perseverance through faith
  •     Jazz: jazz music that was composed, arranged, or written by African-American artists

AmericanSpiritualEnsemble.com

Upcoming Events

April 3, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Concert
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Chorale, Boston, MA
April 5, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Community Sing
Grappone Center, Concord, NH
DETAILS & TICKETS
April 5, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Concert
Capital Center for the Arts, Concord, NH
DETAILS & TICKETS
April 6, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Lecture & Mini Concert
Opera Innovators Series: Songs and Stories with the American Spiritual Ensemble
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Chorale, Boston, MA
DETAILS & TICKETS
April 6, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Concert
Curtis Performance Hall, Worchester, MA
DETAILS & TICKETS
April 7, 2024
American Spiritual Ensemble
Concert
St. John's Episcopal Church, Portsmouth, NH