357:"Prompted by a calling from God on August 9, 1981, Lena McLin started a bible class in a small meeting room in the Conrad Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago; during the next several months, Dr. McLin fervently studied the Holy Bible and attended divinity training classes and on February 26, 1982, Dr. McLin was officially ordained as a minister; the bible classes became services as Holy Vessel Baptist Church, and Dr. McLin was the pastor and the Minister of Music; and nce established at a permanent address, Dr. McLin implemented outreach programs to help the Hyde Park community; the church began providing food, clothing, bus and train fares, temporary shelter, and Christian counseling to distressed men, women, and children; in 2008, Holy Vessel celebrated its 27th anniversary, and Dr. McLin celebrated her 26th anniversary as an ordained minister of God."
328:. Her work has built from both European classical traditions and tradition African-American music, and "works large and small that, in essence, merged European and African-American languages", according to Reich. She also fronted the gospel group Lena McLin & the McLin Singers. In all, she has composed more than 400 cantatas, masses, solo and choral arrangements of spirituals, anthems, art songs, gospel songs, rock operas, soul and pop songs, works for piano and orchestra, and electronic music arrangements, including
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R. Kelly stated that it was McLin that convinced him to pursue a career in music over basketball, that he considers McLin his "second mother", and that she has remained an influence in his career continuously since his high-school days. With her encouragement, R. Kelly wrote his first song, about
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McLin founded the McLin
Ensemble in the 1950s, during which time she was serving as the public relations director of the Park District Opera Guild. She and the ensemble made their operatic debut in November 1960 at the Abraham Lincoln Center in Chicago, with a performance of
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In 2008 the
Illinois House of Representatives adopted a resolution "that we congratulate Reverend Doctor Lena J. McLin on this momentous occasion and wish her continued health, happiness, and music in her life" upon the occasion of her 80th birthday.
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McLin officially retired from teaching high school in the mid-1990s but continued teaching voice lessons. She taught for 36 years, all at
Chicago area public schools. She has also given lectures at the
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McLin and her husband
Nathanael also founded the McLin Opera Company in the mid-1950s, funded with their own money. The company was named the "nation's leading small opera company" by the
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941:"The Righteous Brother: R. Kelly's ambitious album of genre- spanning songs finds him updating the spiritually grounded R&B of such greats as Al Green and Donny Hathaway"
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In 2011 a tribute to her musical career was held at the
Emmanuel Baptist Church. She was an honoree of the Human Symphony's Foundation living legends award in 2007.
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in 1965. Under her direction the company performed on stage, as well as on radio and television networks.
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as a child, where she was exposed to gospel music and served as an accompanist to her uncle's choir.
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251:. She was called "the woman who launched a thousand careers" by art critic Howard Reich of the
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1039:"Rev. Dr. Lena McLin, Chicago pastor, music teacher for Jennifer Hudson, Chaka Khan, dies"
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155:; September 5, 1928 â October 3, 2023) was an American educator, composer, author, and
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McLin had two children, Nathanael Jr. and
Beverley, with her husband Nathanael McLin.
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679:"R. Kelly: His Exciting Mansion and His Controversial Mix of Shock and Salvation"
537:"Gutted church was noted for music Gospel stars lifted up voices at Chicago site"
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179:, on September 5, 1928. At the age of five she was sent to live with her uncle,
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McLin had a bachelor's degree in music, specializing in piano and violin, from
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in 1977. She also has a library of choral works published by the
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Lena McLin died on
October 3, 2023, at the age of 95.
1008:"Dr. Lena McLin nominated for Life Achievement Award"
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Encyclopedia of
African American Music â Lena McLin
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330:Free at Last: A Portrait Of Martin Luther King Jr.
592:Encyclopedia of African American Music, Volume 3
316:McLin composed a wide range of music, including
981:Oxford African American Studies Center (2006).
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16:American music teacher and composer (1928â2023)
736:"Workshop on black music a success at Peabody"
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511:"LRB095 22469 KXB 52837 r: HOUSE RESOLUTION"
373:McLin was awarded honorary degrees by the
194:, and a graduate degree in music from the
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589:Emmett George Price (December 17, 2010).
790:"Choral Publications by Lena Mclin (43)"
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1131:21st-century African-American musicians
1126:21st-century African-American educators
1106:20th-century African-American musicians
1101:20th-century African-American educators
835:Dorothy Witte Austin (March 15, 1966).
811:"McLin Ensemble to Present Two Opera's"
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159:, who served as a music teacher in the
1171:American Conservatory of Music alumni
1146:21st-century American women composers
1121:20th-century American women composers
1037:Chatman, Samantha (October 4, 2023).
889:Bernard Holland (February 15, 1983).
651:"A celebration of Lena McLin's music"
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1166:American Christian religious leaders
837:"Half Paid, Half Free Opera Company"
335:Gwendolyn Brooks: A Musical Portrait
1136:21st-century African-American women
1111:20th-century African-American women
939:Dave Hoekstra (November 29, 1998).
734:Adam H. Jenkins (August 19, 1972).
1014:. January 11, 2003. Archived from
813:. The Bulletin (Chicago newspaper)
14:
535:Karen Hawkins (January 8, 2006).
515:Illinois House of Representatives
351:Illinois House of Representatives
1161:African-American women composers
1156:African-American music educators
864:"McLin Opera plans Fashion Fair"
353:in 2008, the House stated that:
1141:21st-century American composers
1116:20th-century American composers
649:Howard Reich (March 24, 2011).
569:"Lena McLin: Composer/Educator"
1181:American women music educators
349:In a resolution passed by the
231:. Her other students included
196:American Conservatory of Music
94:American Conservatory of Music
1:
175:Lena Mae Johnson was born in
891:"Opera Ebony: Black History"
677:Kevin Chappell (July 1996).
625:. November 2000. p. 112
460:Women & Music: A History
920:. Human Symphony Foundation
438:American Opera â Lena McLin
211:McLin taught in Chicago at
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1151:African-American composers
278:Neil A. Kjos Music Company
988:. Oxford University Press
765:Pulse: A History Of Music
595:. ABC-CLIO. p. 232.
375:Virginia Union University
274:Pulse: A History Of Music
272:McLin published the book
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1176:American music educators
868:Washington Afro-American
715:. March 1996. p. 64
299:Washington Afro-American
223:. At Kenwood she taught
741:Baltimore Afro-American
1196:Spelman College alumni
1191:Musicians from Atlanta
1186:Gospel music composers
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185:Pilgrim Baptist Church
161:Chicago Public Schools
842:The Milwaukee Journal
419:on September 28, 2015
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870:. September 14, 1965
762:Lena McLin (1977).
656:The Chicago Tribune
617:"Man in the Mirror"
261:poverty in Africa.
227:, Deitra Farr, and
213:Hubbard High School
183:. She attended the
896:The New York Times
217:Harlan High School
946:Los Angeles Times
413:The HistoryMakers
409:"Rev. Lena McLin"
345:Religious service
267:Peabody Institute
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128:Years active
54:September 5, 1928
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177:Atlanta, Georgia
140:Thomas A. Dorsey
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1043:. Retrieved
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1016:the original
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918:"Lena McLin"
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75:(2023-10-03)
18:
1096:2023 deaths
1091:1928 births
475:"Len McLin"
326:rock operas
245:Robert Sims
229:Kim English
103:Occupations
1085:Categories
1072:Lena McLin
1063:Lena McLin
1045:October 5,
393:References
307:Oh Freedom
237:Chaka Khan
171:Early life
163:system at
50:1928-09-05
25:Lena McLin
924:April 11,
484:April 11,
423:April 11,
313:in 1983.
291:The Cloak
131:1955â2023
82:Education
318:cantatas
233:R. Kelly
207:Teaching
114:composer
1067:Discogs
1022:May 14,
992:May 14,
795:May 14,
629:May 14,
241:Da Brat
153:Johnson
142:(uncle)
62:Georgia
58:Atlanta
1041:. ABC7
966:May 2,
902:May 2,
874:May 2,
848:May 2,
817:May 2,
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747:May 2,
719:May 2,
691:May 2,
662:May 2,
599:
574:May 2,
548:May 2,
520:May 2,
324:, and
322:masses
247:, and
219:, and
202:Career
157:pastor
136:Family
120:pastor
117:author
64:, U.S.
986:(PDF)
684:Ebony
385:Death
284:Music
151:(nÊe
1076:IMDb
1047:2023
1024:2013
994:2013
968:2013
926:2013
904:2013
876:2013
850:2013
819:2013
797:2013
770:ISBN
749:2013
721:2013
693:2013
664:2013
631:2013
597:ISBN
576:2013
550:2013
522:2013
486:2013
425:2013
377:and
332:and
70:Died
40:Born
1074:at
479:PBS
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
