WHILE I RUN THIS RACE: A NEW CD/STREAMING PROJECT SET FOR RELEASE

While I Run This Race: Music of Hope, Dedication and Celebration, featuring the music of Doug McConnell will be released to the public on Friday, November 7, 2025.  The music on the recording is inspired by aspects of Black American culture, from traditional spirituals to the poetry of Langston Hughes. While I Run This Race features Roderick George, tenor, Gail Levinsky, alto saxophone, Jackie Edwards-Henry, piano, Joan McConnell, organ, and the Helios Trio: John Fadial, violin, Beth Vanderborgh, cello, and Chi-Chen Wu, piano.

The project is the latest release from AMP Recordings, who specialize in new works by living composers in addition to music from the more traditional repertoire. Pre-ordering is now available through the firm’s website: https://www.amp-recordings.com. The recording will also be available through major streaming services for listening or purchase, including Amazon Music, iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, Deezer and Pandora.

While I Run This Race presents two major chamber works and two solo works for organ. Langston’s Lot (1996) is a seven-movement composition for tenor voice, alto saxophone and piano, based on the poetry of Langston Hughes. While I Run This Race, (2019-20) written for piano trio is a programmatic theme-and variations work based on the spiritual Guide My Feet While I Run This Race. The recording also features two organ settings based on traditional spirituals: Sojourner (I Want Jesus to Walk With Me, 2016), and Ride On, King Jesus! (2024) All of the pieces on the recording show the influence of jazz, blues and even a bit of rock, mixed in with classical composition procedures.