trad.: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

This singer possessed a remarkably beautiful voice, an excellent singing technique and a wide vocal range. After her debut in 1899, her career began successfully in Europe. She moved to North America in 1907 and was immensely popular there until her sudden death in 1915. She is particularly remembered for her portrayal of Dalila and Gluck’s Orfeo.

Carl MaultsBy is a contemporary “renaissance artist” whose talents have been utilized both in the commercial realm of musical theatre, film, television, records and in the cultural media as well. A former artist and repertoire staff producer for RCA records, MaultsBy attended Columbia University where he studied with the late Vladimir Ussachevsky and Mario Davidovsky. His credits include liturgical music, music for the Harry Belafonte film Beat Street and the dance music for the Broadway musical “It’s So Nice to be Civilized.” As he writes, “Eye of the Sparrow” was conceived as a joint installation project between visual artist Karen Fitzgerald and myself…which took place in January 2006, at the Celebration of the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King at St. Bartholomew's Church, New York City. The title was inspired by the evangelical hymn, ‘His Eye is on the Sparrow,’ a personal favorite of Dr. King.”