Arlington High School Choir Dept. is known for many positive things. One of those things is different styles of music. We have sang classical, jazz, pop, Latin, African, Spanish, Chinese, and many other different styles of music. Every thing we sing has its place and reason. It is never based upon ones religion or beliefs. We are fixing to sing Black Gospel number called Praise His Holy Name. This type of music has its place just as anything else we sing does. It is even more so because it is historical and derives from such a hard past in the slave days. The spirituals that had been born during slavery have been resurrected, as demonstrators both- both black and white- have transformed these historic songs into "freedom songs" taking the original words and adapting them to fit the immediate context of the times. During the days of slavery African-American men and women would be exhausted from working sun-up to sundown. They would sing themselves to exuberance--- to life!!! They would sing songs of deliverance and songs of victory over emotional and physical oppression. Songs such as, Amazing Grace, was written by a white slave traitor who was converted and changed from his unjust ways. This song has made it through many different cultures. Some songs we sing might be for fun and this is one of them but it has a deeper meaning than just a clapping and praising his holy name. It is resurrecting feelings of the past and showing us that there were people that would actually sing and gain joy from the music they would sing even in the time of trials and hardships. Arlington High is known for being a diverse in the fine arts program. If students of music are going to be able to capture the true meaning of fine arts we must be able to experience it in every genre. We are not trying to convert or push any religion on anyone. It might mean something to you like it does to me, but there is nothi
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