WILLIAMSBURG — The William & Mary Office of the Arts opens its inaugural William & Mary Presents! season with the a capella group Take 6 and organist Alan Morrison, both appearing the weekend of Sept. 28 and 29.
Take 6 — Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley — has been heralded by Quincy Jones as the “baddest vocal cats on the planet!”
With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award, and as inductees of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the multi-platinum-selling a cappella sextet has collaborated with and received praise from such luminaries as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald and Whitney Houston.
Popular television shows featuring vocal competitions, such as “The Sing Off,” “ Glee” and “Smash,” owe a debt to Take 6, according to William & Mary. Take 6 triumphed among a gathering of stars including Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Nicks, and Ne-Yo at Walmart’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
McKnight formed the group as The Gentleman’s Estate Quartet in 1980 at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. Becoming Take 6 when they signed to Reprise Records in 1987, the group’s self-titled debut CD won over jazz and pop critics.
Take 6 performs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 in the Glenn Close Theatre of Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall, 601 Jamestown Road.
Alan Morrison
Organist Alan Morrison maintains a career as performer, teacher, recording artist, adjudicator and collaborative pianist. He is a regular performer at Verizon Hall (Kimmel Center) where he has appeared in solo, chamber music and concerto performances, and he has performed throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, Russia and South America.
He is the Haas Charitable Trust Chair in Organ Studies at The Curtis Institute of Music, College Organist at Ursinus College, and Organist in Residence at Spivey Hall in Morrow, Georgia.
Alan Morrison performs at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29 in the Music Arts Center Concert Hall and will conduct an open master class at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. The Charles Center Arts Masterclass Series is made possible by the Elliot E. and Helen Y. Cohen Forum Endowment.
All tickets for Arts Quarter events are available in electronic form only and can be purchased online at wm.universitytickets.com/ Tickets may also be purchased in person at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall and the Music Arts Center on William & Mary’s campus the day of each performance beginning one hour prior.
