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Author Elaine Mack's book project

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Dear Friends,

I am seeking your help in contributing to a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of musician, teacher, and author Elaine Mack, who is working on a major book project, Make Them Hear You: Black Men of the Vocal Arts.

The purpose of this book is to bring attention to the accomplishments of black male opera and concert singers. It is a compilation of 73 personal interviews with black men in the realm of classical vocal arts, including operatic singers, recitalists, vocal teachers and coaches, piano collaborators, composers of opera and art songs, conductors and founders of operatic and choral ensembles, and selected artist profiles contributed from an outside, approved source.  Photos chosen by the artists themselves are included, and supplementary chapters on vocally related topics provide a historical background and perspective on this subject.

Make Them Hear You: Black Men of the Vocal Arts is nearly complete after 14 years of work from its inception in 2003 until now in 2017.  From 2006 until 2016, Elaine taught English overseas to earn the money to produce her book.  After a brief stay in the U.S. she returned overseas to earn more money, but after working briefly in China and Thailand in 2016 decided to come home where she could best complete the project.  Elaine has completed the long processes of gathering, transcribing, and editing interviews in 7 different countries: the USA, England, France, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, China, and Thailand.  She has reached the point where she needs major financial backing to publish her book this year.  

Also, Elaine is re-releasing her first book, Black Classical Musicians in Philadelphia: Oral Histories Covering Four Generations, published in 2009.  Sales from this work will help fund the release of Make Them Hear You: Black Men of the Vocal Arts.

She is asking for $25,000.  The money will be used to cover the following expenses:

·      Editor - $5000,

·      Book designer - $3500

·      Photographer - $2500

·      Printing of the book in four formats; limited edition hardcover, softcover, e-book, and PDF - $10,000

·      Publicist - $4000

 

**Total - $25,000

 

Plans are in place to present this major opus on the global stage with foreign language editions and a possible film documentary series. Elaine Mack intends for the world to know of the accomplishments of black male opera and concert singers, but needs a serious financial boost to launch her historic initiative. 

Make Them Hear You: Black Men of the Vocal Arts will be published by Ms. Mack’s new publishing company, Woodlawn Press LLC, which was incorporated in 2015 and will be officially announced within the next few weeks.  The Woodlawn Press was founded by Elaine for the purpose of retaining complete control over her work, freeing her from the whims of outside publishers.  It’s been a very long haul, but a deeply rewarding one.

Make Them Hear You: Black Men of the Vocal Arts is a significant historical document, the only one of its kind. I hope you will consider my request for assistance on behalf of Elaine Mack.
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Donations 

  • Sheldon Markel
    • $50
    • 7 yrs
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

George Shirley
Organizer
Ann Arbor, MI
Elaine Mack
Beneficiary

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