About eight years ago, I met my friend Donald Dumpson through his work with the Kimmel Cultural Campus and our joint signature program, A Soulful Christmas. If you’ve never experienced Soulful, I can’t recommend it enough. It is one of my favorite shows out of the more than 2,000 events that we present each year. You can’t walk away from this event without a smile on your face. Guests walk out of the theater literally filled to the brim with a spirit of community and the cheer of the holidays having bathed in the amazing voices of more than 800 choristers from churches around the Philadelphia region.
This year will mark our ninth year presenting Soulful, and it will be a bit more intimate to keep the singers and audience members safe. We’ve scaled back on the number of performers, selecting just a few from each congregation. But Donald, the program’s artistic director and creator, is confident the evening will be just as moving, and we are elated to come together after a year’s hiatus. I snuck into last night’s tech rehearsal and can assure you…this year will be spectacular. And this year’s special guest is Kathy Taylor, a nationally known Texas-based gospel singer and Minister of Music. An accomplished national recording artist, Kathy has ministered before Queen Elizabeth, former President Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou, and many others (what a resume!).
Back to Donald, Artistic Director and Kimmel’s partner in the creation of A Soulful Christmas. Many of you know this, but I moved to Philadelphia about 8 years ago. Donald was one of the few Philadelphians who generously took me under his wing, introduced me to others, and extended invitations to me to accompany him to local events. He is a connector and one of the most talented individuals we work with at Kimmel. He is also one of the wisest individuals I’ve ever met. His vision and creativity through which he created Soulful is unmatched, resulting in one of the most inspiring holiday events in the city (in my opinion). Make sure to plan your trip to Kimmel to see A Soulful Christmas tonight, December 14th at 7:30 PM inside Verizon Hall. After the year we’ve had, this performance may be exactly what many of us need to get into the Christmas spirit and launch us into the new year.
If you miss the in-person event, you aren’t out of luck! You can listen to a broadcast of this year’s show on WURD Radio and RADIO One stations on Christmas Day.
In between rehearsals, Donald generously sat down to answer a few questions for this blog. I think you’ll enjoy hearing from him about all things career, life, and who is inspiring him right now. Check it out:
Describe yourself in 5 words.
Donald: Grateful, compassionate, resilient, hardworking, (and) learning.
What is inspiring you right now?
Donald: Learning more about spirituality/sexuality. If the church wants to grow, we have to have broader discussions that meet the whole person on our journeys.
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Donald: I always wanted to be a musician.
What would you consider to be your most significant career accomplishment?
Donald: Teaching at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. I had the privilege of teaching and journeying with wonderful students, including but not limited to Boyz II Men, Christian McBride, Ahmir Thompson, Bilal, and Amel Stowell.
Why do you believe that the arts is a space worth investing in?
Donald: There is so much being said, but we are not available to really engage with (or hear) each other. The arts provide portals of opportunities to prana our individual and collective energetic promise. The arts provide glimpses into the possibilities within each of us.
If you weren’t in your current role, what is another profession or industry you would like to pursue?
Donald: Mental health. There are so many wounded people in the arts. So many with dreams deferred, so many who are basically wounded healers.
What advice would you give your younger self at the start of your career?
Donald: Put people first. Product will follow and will be excellent. There is no need to wound people in the name of seeking quality. Again, in the arts, so much is about approval from outside of oneself (the teacher, the audition, the audience, the peers...). Trust your own sense of self. Stand tall. Laugh a lot more.
What was the best arts/entertainment experience you ever had (favorite)?
Donald: Working with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) on the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars. I was one of the producers, representing the UNCF. I worked with Louis J. Horvitz. He was exceptional.
Who are three artists that you are currently most excited about?
Donald: This is a very interesting question. Currently, I am excited about the output of:
Jason Max Ferdinand
VOCES8
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
My sincerest thanks to Donald for taking the time to answer my questions, especially during the busy holiday season.
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