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Women's Conference 2016: Position Yourself for a Blessing
Aug 20, 2016
Position Yourself for a Blessing!
Scripture: When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment Mark 5:27 KJV
Saturday August 20, 2016 - Doors open at 7:30 am for continental breakfast
Seminar Leaders:
Karla P. Scott, DMA
Best-known as a classical singer, Scott has performed throughout the United States,several times at the Kennedy Center, as well as in Zimbabwe, Africa, Rome, Italy (whereshe made her operatic debut) and Beijing, China. She has sung with various orchestrasincluding the Annapolis Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, National Orchestral InstituteOrchestra and the University of Maryland Summer Chorus Orchestra. In addition toperforming at the funeral of Rosa Parks and in concert at the National Gallery of Art inWashington, D.C., Scott has performed for Nelson Mandela, President Bill Clinton andPresident Barack Obama. Scott possesses a voice of uncommon clarity and beauty and hasbeen described by the Washington Post as “a vividly expressive soprano.” Scott is equallycomfortable performing classical, jazz, contemporary worship and Gospel music.
Since 2006 she has directed the United States Naval Academy Gospel Choir completing 27successful tours throughout the United States and a Goodwill tour to South Korea. Underher direction, the Naval Academy Gospel Choir performed at the 2009 Inaugural Concertfor President Barack Obama on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, providing backingvocals for Beyoncé and opera star, René Fleming. They also performed at the nationallytelevised 2014 Kennedy Center Honors.Scott focused her doctoral studies in Vocal Pedagogy (the art and science of trainingsingers). Her unique perspective as a classical singer who has also directed the Gospelchoir at the U.S. Naval Academy for the past decade, led her to write a dissertation that isinterdisciplinary and groundbreaking in its content. In it, Scott discusses the unexpectedintersections between Gospel music, military leadership and American nationalism (howwe define ourselves as Americans).
For most of its 170-year history, the US Naval Academy’s core population has been whiteand male. In 1949, Wesley Brown became its first black graduate, a turn of events thatwould encourage a small, but steady stream of black graduates thereafter. By the mid1980s, a Gospel choir was formed at the Academy and its presence served as an overtdemonstration of Black culture at a majority institution. Within the first decade of thechoir’s existence, Naval Academy leadership began to promote the choir as a way torecruit minority applicants.
Leadership development is central to all student activities at the Naval Academy. Based onthis understanding, Scott’s dissertation examines the ways that the Gospel choir andspecifically the training and performance mechanics of Gospel music directly benefit twoaspects of leadership. First, she examines Gospel music training’s impact on ‘CommandPresence,’ the ability of a military officer to communicate orders authoritatively especiallyin times of crisis. Scott also discusses how the training mechanics of Gospel musicpositively impact spatial reasoning, a type of brain function required to master thetechnical engineering training required of all students at the Naval Academy.Professor Carmen Balthrop, whose operatic career has included performances at the NewYork Metropolitan, Houston, San Francisco, Berlin and Venice opera houses, as well asconcert appearances and recordings with most major American orchestras, served aschairperson for Scott’s dissertation committee and said, “Karla is an exceptional classicalperformer and her singing in jazz and contemporary Christian music is equally gorgeous,so I knew her project would be musically inclusive in its scope. As Karla read her findingsto me, particularly the history of the Gospel music at the Naval Academy, I could feelmyself gaining respect for Gospel music and realizing that it deserves its place inAmerican music. Karla has met the quintessential requirement of a doctoral student, todiscover something new, to edify her committee in hopes that they will then edify thosethey teach. I felt a great sense of pride to be associated with her and the courage it took tochoose a topic that isn’t always taken seriously in classical settings. I encourage her totake this message around the world, in the hopes that Gospel music will gain the respect itdeserves.
”Visual artist Patrick Delaney, whose 30-year corporate career included roles ininternational banking and as a senior executive at a Fortune 500 corporation, was equallyimpressed with her findings. After reviewing Scott’s dissertation, Delaney said, “On thesurface, this project is about music, but her teaching method and its results haveimportant implications outside of the musical world. Scott’s approach would be aneffective training tool in the corporate world as it relates to team-building, leadershipdevelopment and diversity training.”As a worship leader, she had the distinct honor of leading President Obama and the Firstfamily in worship during Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday services in Washington, DC. Sherecorded a worship hymns project with Damien Sneed and has shared worship settingswith Bishop TD Jakes, Twinkie Clark, Smokie Norful, Alvin Slaughter, Ron Kenoly, VickiYohe and many others.As a professor and teacher, Scott partnered with Wynton Marsalis, Damien Sneed and Jazzat Lincoln Center to teach multi-city workshops during the world premiere tour of theAbyssinian Mass, conducted by Sneed. “I have known Karla Scott for over 20 years nowand I've had the pleasure of working with her in several different capacities and musicalgenres,” says Sneed. “When I first met her she was in the studio of the well-knownoperatic soprano, Carmen Balthrop, at the University of Maryland College Park whileworking on her Masters degree. Karla has performed with some of the greatest symphonyorchestras, conductors and opera houses in the world. Karla's arrangements andcompositions are extremely versatile and diverse. Karla served as the educationalcoordinator going ahead of the tour group (Abyssinian Mass) in each city to work withlocal area schools, universities and community choral groups to prepare them for ourperformances. It's just a matter of time before the world will be heralding her name acrossthe globe for her excellence in music.”Scott also served as Instructor of Music at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina,where she taught vocal literature, French, German and Italian Diction, as well as privatevoice. She also directed Bennett’s touring choir, which performed 40 concerts annually.While pursuing her doctorate at the University of Maryland, Scott served as GraduateTeaching Assistant and was responsible for teaching private voice, Vocal Pedagogy, VocalLiterature, as well as English, French, German and Italian diction.
Since 1998, Scott has successfully conducted workshops in churches, schools anduniversities across the country through her company, The Vocal Spa. She remainspassionate about providing comprehensive vocal training (body, soul and spirit) tosingers, worship leaders and choir directors in the Body of Christ. She combines scientificknowledge of the voice and body with her God-given ability to encourage, re-align andrefresh those called to music ministry.
Kyara Smith
Kyara is passionate about knowing and being known by God. Above all, she relishes in being adaughter of the King. She is adamant about sharing the beautiful message of living dependenton the Holy Spirit and all the adventures that follow! A graduate of University of Maryland andRegent University, Kyara holds a Master’s Degree in Divinity with a focus on practical ministryand a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. She spent five years in fulltimeYouth Ministry in Atlanta, GA and is currently an English teacher in Prince George’s County.She is passionate about imparting the knowledge of the power of God to young people.
Marrisa Farrow
Rev. Marissa R. Farrow, a Native of Baltimore MD, was born on June 19, 1989
to Bishop Robert E. Farrow and Evangelist Jacqueline Farrow, Pastors of Mt.
Calvary Church & Ministries, where Marissa had her beginnings in ministry.
Marissa attributes her ministerial beginnings to one “Good Friday Morning” when asked by her father to stand in for a pastor who was unable to make their annual Seven Last Words service. It was from that moment that at the age of 14, Marissa found herself stepping out of the backgrounds of ministry, to the forefront when she began speaking for diverse occasions in the city of Baltimore
On March 4, 2007, Marissa began her public ministry by preaching her formal Initial/Trial Sermon at Mt. Calvary Church and Ministries; a sermon entitled “The Unshakable Call” from Jeremiah 4:1-9 and Psalms 27. In June of that same year, Marissa graduated with academic honors as well as military honors from Meade Sr. High School.
Upon graduating, she began matriculating as a Biology Pre-Med major at Delaware State University. After a year and a half of studying there, she transferred back to Maryland and continued in that major at Community College of Baltimore County. Following this, she spent time studying at Eastern Theological Seminary. She is currently completing her Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship from Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC; where she anticipates graduating in May 2017. Where she also is a proud Spring 2015 initiate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Marissa prays that her academic journey will empower young people everywhere to know that it’s never too late to do what you should have done!
In August of 2013, she was ordained as an Elder in the Northeast Freewill Baptist Convention. Marissa has been privileged to sit under great leadership and glean from the teachings of her father, Bishop Robert E. Farrow, and currently serves on the preaching staff at The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, under the Pastoral leadership of Rev. Dr. Floyd & Elaine Flake and she attributes much gratitude to many other great leaders who have impacted her preaching ministry and her personal pursuit of living a life of integrity.
She has been blessed to minister on “Churchin On The Word” live from The Word Network Studios in Detroit, Michigan and has also been featured in various written publications as a young leader in the church. One of her proudest accomplishments is her first published work entitled “Delivered From Dysfunction A Seven Step Guide To A Better You!” Released April 2014.
Marissa is on a kingdom move for God and will not stop until she pursues the purpose God has for her. She loves the Lord and knows that it’s only by His grace that she has come thus far and His mercy, which will lead her on. She is an advocate for youth and for success of the church. Her greatest desire is to serve God and be an agent of change wherever she may go!
On March 4, 2007, Marissa began her public ministry by preaching her formal Initial/Trial Sermon at Mt. Calvary Church and Ministries; a sermon entitled “The Unshakable Call” from Jeremiah 4:1-9 and Psalms 27. In June of that same year, Marissa graduated with academic honors as well as military honors from Meade Sr. High School.
Upon graduating, she began matriculating as a Biology Pre-Med major at Delaware State University. After a year and a half of studying there, she transferred back to Maryland and continued in that major at Community College of Baltimore County. Following this, she spent time studying at Eastern Theological Seminary. She is currently completing her Bachelors in Business Administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship from Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC; where she anticipates graduating in May 2017. Where she also is a proud Spring 2015 initiate of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Marissa prays that her academic journey will empower young people everywhere to know that it’s never too late to do what you should have done!
In August of 2013, she was ordained as an Elder in the Northeast Freewill Baptist Convention. Marissa has been privileged to sit under great leadership and glean from the teachings of her father, Bishop Robert E. Farrow, and currently serves on the preaching staff at The Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, under the Pastoral leadership of Rev. Dr. Floyd & Elaine Flake and she attributes much gratitude to many other great leaders who have impacted her preaching ministry and her personal pursuit of living a life of integrity.
She has been blessed to minister on “Churchin On The Word” live from The Word Network Studios in Detroit, Michigan and has also been featured in various written publications as a young leader in the church. One of her proudest accomplishments is her first published work entitled “Delivered From Dysfunction A Seven Step Guide To A Better You!” Released April 2014.
Marissa is on a kingdom move for God and will not stop until she pursues the purpose God has for her. She loves the Lord and knows that it’s only by His grace that she has come thus far and His mercy, which will lead her on. She is an advocate for youth and for success of the church. Her greatest desire is to serve God and be an agent of change wherever she may go!
Event Details
| Day: | Saturday |
|---|---|
| Time: | 7:30am |
| Location: |
Christian Life Church 6605 Liberty RoadBaltimore, Maryland 21207 USA |
| Cost: | $15.00 |
| Speaker: | Karla Scott, Kyara Smith, & Marrisa Farrow |