Students and families will have the chance to hear sweet and soulfully sung holiday tunes, no matter what winter holiday they take part in.
"Sweet Honey is universal in that it can't be categorized," singer Ysaye Barnwell said. "We cover it all."
Sweet Honey In The Rock, an all-female a cappella ensemble, will perform tonight in Eisenhower Auditorium. Founded in 1973, Sweet Honey has featured 23 women since and performs a variety of music inspired by African and African-American cultural traditions, working with genres from gospel to rap.
Laura Sullivan, marketing and communications director at Eisenhower Auditorium, said despite the concert's holiday theme, the audience shouldn't expect traditional Christmas carols. The group will also be singing music that honors Kwanzaa, Jewish traditions and Muslim traditions.
"Their focus for the concert is to respect as many religions as possible and share a world of holiday spirit in one entertaining evening," she said.
Deaf audience members can see the songs acted out live on stage by a sign language interpreter, Sullivan said.
Rachel Dungan, member of the Penn State choir Essence of Joy, said she thinks Sweet Honey stands out from other a cappella ensembles in that it not only has a distinct sound but presents music that carries additional value.
"It tells a story or expresses strong emotion that may have historical or cultural significance," Dungan (junior-music and biobehavioral health) said. "They do an excellent job of conveying their passion and inviting audiences to actually think about the message they're presenting."
Barnwell said because the ensemble has no set program, it has the flexibility to offer audiences a look at many different subjects.
"We want to have song conversations with our audiences about things we care about," she said. "We sing about being women, being African-American; we sing about greed and politics; we sing what makes sense at the moment."
