On May 3, 2009 I went to see the senior recital of Sakinah Davis. Davis has a beautiful voice and the mastery and control she has over her voice is wonderful. After the concert I shared with peers, “that I want to be like her when I grow up.” The time and devotion that she put into her recital showed. It appeared effortless and excited me for the possibility of my own next year.
Davis melodic voice filled Sisters Chapel from her very first note. Her diction within each of her languages was superb. I was especially thrilled with the Spanish set on her program. While I was in Italy I was given the opportunity to sing Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileira, which begins on the vowel ah and concludes with humming. I noticed a connection in her Spanish set and Bachianas Brasileira. Davis song originated from Argentina and mine was from Brazil, the countries are relatively close to each other and it was easy to notice in the music. In one of the Spanish sets Davis hums. Her ability to hum and fill the chapel was excellent. In personal experience sustaining a pitch and melodic idea on a hum in a piece is complicated. The piece Gato in her Spanish set was great. The piece was not so much about her singing but about the piano accompaniment. The intricacies of the piano part were great. Trey’s articulation and delivery of the fast rhythmic piece was excellent.
I left Davis’s recital that day overjoyed. I will truly miss her here at Spelman but Cincinnati has an excellent musician coming to them. I hope they’re ready because she is about to take them by storm.
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