Revitalizing the spirituals tradition during the 2026 Inspired Thinker Series event

On Feb. 3, 2026, the pews of the St. John Francis Regis Chapel on Regis University’s Denver campus were filled with Regis students and the community immersed in the revitalization of one of America’s oldest – and oft forgotten – musical traditions.

Every two years, Regis University’s Fine and Performing Arts department hosts the Inspired Thinkers Series. This series, ongoing since 2013, invites locally and nationally recognized creatives to the stage at Regis to showcase their unique perspective on the arts and culture.

"It’s an excellent opportunity for our students, and a really cool way to enrich what we're doing in the arts," said Michael Ballard, who holds a doctorate in musical arts, assistant professor of music and Director of Choral Activities at Regis.

This year’s event, titled "Reflection, Rejuvenation, Resistance, and Rejoicing: Music of the Spirituals," invited M. Roger Holland, II, Doctor of Pastoral Music and director of The Spirituals Project from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. The Spirituals Project is a community organization dedicated to the revitalization and dispersal of the "spirituals" tradition. These sacred songs, created in the 18th and 19th centuries by the enslaved Africans in America, were crafted to uplift and inspire in times of strife and struggle.

"Just from the musical perspective, it is a very important part of American history." Ballard continued, "in the choral canon, it has frequently been tokenized. But it has such a rich and deep history that should be studied just as intensely as something like a Baroque motet."

Founded formally in 1998, The Spirituals Project seeks not only to preserve music but to share it with the world. As a fully functional choir, The Spirituals Project forges the bonds between people and music as the key to their remembrance. This memory is shared between choir members coming from many different backgrounds.

The event began with a keynote address from director Holland, speaking about the origins of spirituals, where he occasionally broke into song to share the powerful lyrics and tone of the long-held musical tradition. Holland elaborated on the unique sound of emotional dissonance that some spirituals share. While many have a lighthearted, almost joyful sound, the intent derives from one of the darkest periods in American history.

Finishing his address, Holland turned to conduct both The Spirituals Project choir and the Regis University Choir through a performance of selected spirituals. The audience was bathed in the sound of two choral groups joining in unison: a celebration of tradition and memory.

Ballard described how he prepared the Regis University Choir for the performance, ensuring that they were aware of the history of this form of music. He noted that as his students learned about the history and legacy of spirituals from Holland, he, alongside them, learned just as much. As an educator, incorporating the often-overlooked history of spirituals was a way to address inequality in music, history and education.

"I think music has the power to affect change and express a multitude of things, from love and happiness, but also injustices in the world," said Ballard. "It's empowering for students to see that they can use art as a means of expression and communication."