Sundays With SAMF: Voice of Heritage

Experience an extraordinary afternoon of music as celebrated baritone Robert Sims brings his soul-stirring artistry to The Waterworks. Prepare for an unforgettable performance filled with powerful spirituals and timeless classical repertoire.

Concert Highlights:

Robert Sims is renowned for his rich tone, compelling stage presence, and moving interpretations of American spirituals. A Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Competition, he has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Symphony Center Chicago.

From performing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to starring in the world premiere of Freedom Ride with Chicago Opera Theater, Sims has captivated audiences with a voice that bridges cultural heritage and musical mastery.

Join us as he shares selections that celebrate the spirit, resilience, and beauty of African American musical traditions, alongside classical works that showcase his versatility and vocal depth.

This concert is a celebration of voice, culture, and storytelling—an afternoon of music that connects the heart and soul.

Program:

I – Spiritual Reflections

• In the Beginning God – Duke Ellington
• Precious Lord – Thomas Dorsey / Roland Carter

II – Underground Railroad Spirituals

• Steal Away – Cloud
• Mornin’ Train – Sims
• Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You ‘Round – Lena McLin

III – Life Cycle of Christ

• Sister Mary Had a‑But One Chile – Roland Hayes
• Lit’l Boy – Roland Hayes
• Mumberlin’ Word – Roland Hayes
• Children Did You Hear When Jesus Rose – Roland Hayes

Pause

IV – Broadway Songs

• I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’ – George Gershwin
• Ol’ Man River – Jerome Kern

V – Copland’s Old American Songs

• Simple Gifts
• At the River
• I Bought Me a Cat

VI – Spiritual of Jubilation

• Every Time I Feel the Spirit for Viola and Baritone – Shawn Okpebholo

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this powerful performance in an intimate and historic venue.

Robert Sims, Baritone

Robert Sims, Gold Medal winner of the American Traditions Competition, has been praised for his rich tone, energetic performances, and commanding stage presence. A distinguished interpreter of spirituals and American art song, Sims has appeared with major orchestras and opera companies across the country and abroad, including the Oakland Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, and Chicago Opera Theater.

He has performed at New York’s Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and in collaborations with artists such as Jessye Norman, Simon Estes, and Jubilant Sykes. His artistry has been featured in PBS specials, international festivals, and broadcasts on NPR and the BBC.

Sims has worked closely with legendary composers and arrangers such as Lena McLin, Moses Hogan, Roland Carter, and Jacqueline Hairston, and continues to be a champion of preserving and elevating the spiritual as a vital American art form.

In addition to his performance career, he is an educator and mentor, fostering the next generation of vocal artists through performance, teaching, and his work with vocal competitions and scholarship programs.

Chi‑Yin Chen, Piano Accompanist

Chi‑Yin Chen, a native of Taiwan, enjoys a multifaceted musical career as both pianist and violinist. She serves as the primary collaborative pianist for the Choral Union at Jacksonville University and frequently works with students and faculty at Jacksonville University, the University of North Florida, and—on special occasions—the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.

As a collaborative pianist, Ms. Chen supports student recitals and faculty lessons, highlighted by a 2023 duo recital with Dr. Scott Watkins in Jacksonville University’s Terry Concert Hall. She also dedicates her talents to the Chinese Christian Church of Jacksonville, where she regularly leads worship at the piano.

Ms. Chen is equally active as a violinist. She currently performs with The Coastal Symphony of Georgia and the Jacksonville Symphony, and has appeared with the Charleston Symphony, Richmond Symphony, and previously the Annapolis Symphony.

She earned her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from National Taiwan Normal University (2011) and went on to receive a Master of Music (2013) and Graduate Performance Diploma (2015) in Violin Performance from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, studying under the renowned violinist Herbert Greenberg.