Jessye Norman at Aloud on Thursday

Last Thursday night I attended an Aloud program at the L.A. central library where Jessye Norman, the opera singer, was interviewed by Deborah Borda, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Miss Norman was born in 1945 in the Jim Crowe South and as an African American, she grew up with the challenges of racism.  With the support of her strong family she pursued music at Howard University and the University of Michigan.  She has sung all over the world in concerts to honor the Dalai Lama, the bicentennial of the French republic and in opera houses everywhere.

When asked the difference between Spirituals and Gospels she explained that Spirituals were written during slavery and helped the African Americans through extremely difficult times.  Gospel songs are modern.