A Celebration of Friendship: One Book, One Community Festival program

The Western Illinois Museum will offer a program as part of the One Book One Community Festival created in partnership with the Shared Community Action Group, Macomb Public Library, Western Illinois University, and the University of Illinois Extension. The Museum’s program, A Celebration of Friendship, will be held on Friday, February 17^th, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. A cash bar and refreshments will be available.

The program begins at 5:00 pm and guests are invited to celebrate friendship with engaging activities such as friendship bingo, writing friend gratitude postcards, and creating a word wall. At 5:30, a brief discussion and welcome will lead into the highlight of the evening, Dr. Alfonzo Cooper, Jr.’s performance. Dr. Cooper will be joined by several of his students and accompanist Curtis Baum. Together, they will explore through song the critical importance of human connection.

The books chosen for the festival revolve around friendship and include Macomb teacher Adrienne Graham’s The Color of Friendship, about seeing the beauty in diversity; Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda’s I Will Always Write Back, about a pen-pal friendship between a teen in the USA and one in Zimbabwe; and William Blinn’s Brian’s Song, the story of the friendship between Chicago Bears running backs Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo. They all vividly show what friendship is and its importance in our lives.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. Additional funding is provided by a grant from Illinois Humanities, with funds from the State of Illinois American Rescue Plan Act.

The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 South Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. For more information, contact the Museum by phone at 309.837.2750, text at 309.837.2750, or email at info@wimuseum.org.

About Alfonzo Cooper, Jr.

Alfonzo “Al” Cooper, Jr. is an active vocalist, recitalist, and educator. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Voice and Director of WIU Opera Theatre. He joined the faculty in the fall of 2021 where he teaches Applied Voice, Music Education Courses, Diction, and Opera Workshops. He is also the Coordinator for WIU COFAC Young Artist Awards Program.

Throughout his career, Cooper has accomplished much in the realms of voice and performing. He has been featured on multiple stages across the U.S. Some of his significant accomplishments as a singer and scholar include performing and competing as a soloist in the 105 Voices of History Choir at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC., the 2014-2015 Winner of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music Concerto/Aria Solo Competition, presenting and performing for the faculty and students of Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, and his alma mater, Albany State University in Albany, Georgia.

Cooper, a tenor, has sung major roles in both oratorio and operatic literature. This includes Handel’s Messiah, J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Offenbach’s Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. One of Dr. Cooper’s most noted performances is the recital presented in honor of the former National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Dr. Paulette Walker. Dr. Cooper has studied with and been coached by several prominent figures in the vocal world. Names include Leroy Bynum, Jr., Linda Bannister, Angela Blalock, Barbra Hendricks, AGT’s Travis Pratt, Peter Strummer, Rachael Copeland-Skiba, and William Shomos. A true southerner and native of Georgia, Cooper champions the music of African Americans. His research focuses on the impact of the African American experience and Black Church culture and its influence on classical music. The title of his dissertation is “This is How We Do It:” A Descriptive Analysis of the Musical Elements and the Black Church Cultural Influences in Adolphus Hailstork’s I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes: A Cantata for Tenor, Choir, and Chamber Orchestra.

Cooper holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Voice) from Albany State University; a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) in Southwest Georgia, and both Masters (2015) and Doctoral (2020) degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Cooper holds memberships in the

National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM), Pi Kappa Lambda International Honor Music Society, Inc., Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, Inc., and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.

Other programs offered as part of the One Book One Community Festival include:

Friday, January 27, at 5:30 pm
Bill Maakestad, a well-known area musician, will open the festival on Friday, January 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Wine Sellers in Macomb when he dedicates his regular Final Friday concert to songs about friendship.

Saturday, February 11, at 11:00 am
On Saturday, February 11, at 11:00 am, the Macomb Public Library will show the movie, Brian’s Song, a story so powerful it prompted the publication of the screenplay, and continues to move viewers as they watch two football stars cope with crises and solidify their friendship.

Wednesday, February 15, at 1:00 pm
On Wednesday, February 15, at 1:00 pm, Ronald Pettigrew, Director of WIU’S Veterans Center, will lead a discussion of Brian’s Song in Room 180 in Western’s Malpass Library. The story of how Sayers and Piccolo met, defied racial stereotypes, and became pillars of strength for each other clearly shows the meaning of friendship.

Saturdays, February 18, and February 25, from 10:30 to 11:30 am
Author Adrienne Graham, an elementary teacher at Lincoln School, will read her book, The Color of Friendship, on both Saturday, February 18, and February 25. From 10:30 to 11:30 am on February 18, she will be joined by children’s librarian Tiffany Erickson at the Macomb Public Library. The reading on February 25 will take place in the Community Room at PrairieView Apartments from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. On both dates, the children attending the readings will have a chance to put their own spin on The Color of Friendship through coloring activities.

About the Shared Community Action Group

The Shared Community Action Group (SCA) is a joint effort of leaders from civic and religious organizations who have come together to support Macomb’s efforts to strengthen dialogue and cooperation among the diverse members of the Macomb Community.