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Social and Civic Whirl

Social and Civic Whirl: Mrs. Geraldine T. Boone Receives the Roland Carter Living Legends in Church Music Honor

During the Charles H. Flax Memorial Concert (at the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference) which featured classic and contemporary sacred music, Ms. Geraldine T. Boone, was honored. She was named one of the two persons to receive the Roland Carter Living Legends in Church Music Honor.

This lady, musician extraordinaire, was born and reared in South Norfolk (Chesapeake) and graduated from Norfolk County High School which was located in the Cavalier Manor area. Ms. Boone has shared her musical talents as a church musician, an instructor of music at Norfolk State University, and as a choral director.

In March 1986, Geraldine Boone founded/organized the Chesapeake Civic Chorus which she still directs today. The “mission and vision of the chorus is to foster and develop the art of choral music for the community; raise funds for scholarships for talented music students; to support music education workshops/performances; and become the premier group in Chesapeake.” There are approximately 40 members, who live in Hampton Roads, who make up the Chesapeake Civic Chorus. During the year, the Chorus performs two concerts – Winter and Spring. This energetic, busy woman also founded the Boys Choir of Park Place in September 1997. The purpose of the Boys Choir was to be and still is “a resource for boys in Park Place (not just Park Place today) to expand their positive image singing.” Today, they are known as the Hampton Roads Boys Choir (youth 7 to high school graduation) and continue to exhibit the values of the original choir – develop self-respect and respect for others, and strive for excellence in academic and cultural pursuits.” Ms. Geraldine continues to work with the Boys Choir as the accompanist for the group.

This past Easter season, along with John Alexander, Ms. Boone went back to her sacred music roots. They invited singers from area churches to join the Civic Chorus in performing the “Seven Last Words” to a capacity audience. Their hope is to do a repeat performance in 2018.

In addition to receiving the Roland Cater Living Legends in Church Music Honor, Geraldine T. Boone was featured on I Am Hampton Roads with Kerri Furey. She was reelected as the First National Vice President of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (NANM) recently at the 98th Convention held in New Orleans, Louisiana, where the Boys Choir of Hampton Roads performed under the direction of the Artistic director Julius E. McCullough and accompanied by Ms. Geraldine T. Boone.

A big, big congratulations to Ms. Geraldine T. Boone for all that she has done to foster the appreciation and love of music nationally and most important for the Hampton Roads community!

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