Composers

Lena Mae Johnson McLin

1928 - 2023

About

Lena McLin (b. 1928), known as the woman who launched a thousand careers, is a musician, music teacher, author, pastor and composer. Her uncle, Thomas A. Dorsey, is known as the father of gospel music. McLin earned a Bachelor’s degree in music, specializing in piano and violin, from Spelman College, and a graduate degree in music from the American Conservatory of Music. McLin taught school in Chicago at Hubbard High School, Harlan High School, and Kenwood Academy High School. She has helped launch or enhance the careers of singer and actor Mandy Patinkin; Metropolitan Opera star Mark Rucker; jazz singers Maggie Brown and Kim English; and R&B artists Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Da Brat, R. Kelly, and Jennifer Hudson, as well as vocal training students such as Tammy McCann, Mark Rucker, and Robert Sims. McLin has published over 400 compositions, cantatas, masses, solo and choral arrangements of spirituals, art songs, gospels, rock operas, soul and pop songs, works for piano and full orchestra, and electronic music arrangements, including Free At Last: A Portrait Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gwendolyn Brooks: A Musical Portrait. In the 1950’s, McLin established musical outlets for African-American musicians such as the Mclin Ensemble and the McLin Opera Company. Rev. Dr. McLin is the recipient of the Chicago Music Awards 2003 Lifetime Achievement award and the Human Symphony’s Foundation living legends award honoree in 2007 and She has been awarded honorary degrees from Virginia Union University and Spelman College.

Related Information

http://soultrain.com/2015/09/30/profile-reverend-dr-lena-mclin/, http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/reverend-dr-lena-mclin

Works by Lena Mae Johnson McLin

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
Amazing Grace Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - E5 John Newton
Call Jesus Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High Eb4 - Bb5 Biblical references
Day Songs for Voice and Piano Baritone E3 - C4 Paul L. Dunbar
Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - E5 Biblical
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - Ab5 Biblical
He Came To Alabama from "Free At Last! A Portrait of Martin Luther King, Jrs." Songs for Voice and Piano Baritone D3 - F4 Lena McLin
He Had a Dream from "Free At Last! A Portrait of Martin Luther King, Jrs." Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High F4 - C6 Manuel McLin
Hold Out Your Light Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High Eb4 - G5 | Optional Bb5 Biblical
I Know the Lord's Laid His Hands On Me Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High C4 - A5 Biblical
I'm a Soldier In the Army of the Lord Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High C4 - G5 Biblical
If I Could Give You All I Have from Songs of Love, No. 3 Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - G5 Spencer
Joseph, Thou Son of David from The Christmas Cantata Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - F5 St. Matthew 1: 20, 21
My Love Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High F4 - G5 Nathaniel McLin
My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord from The Christmas Cantata Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High A#4 - G5 Luke 1:46-55
O De Angels Done Bowed Down Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High E4 - B5 Biblical
Round About de Mountain Songs for Voice and Piano High | Medium | Low C4 - G5 | A3 - E5 | G3 - D5 Biblical
Silence from Songs of Love, No. 1 Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High G4 - Ab5 Paul L. Dunbar
The Frog in the Spring Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - G5 Folk Song
The Little Baby Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - G5 biblical
The Lord's Prayer from Mass, No. 1 Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High Eb4 - F5 Biblical
The Unlucky Apple from Songs of Love, No. 2 Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High C4 - F#5 Paul L. Dunbar
The Year's At The Spring Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High Bb3 - A5 Robert Browning
This Land Voice B3 - E5 Lena McLin
Wait till I Put on My Crown Songs for Voice and Piano Medium-High D4 - A5 Biblical
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
Impressions No Professional
Composer Title Work Instrumentation Level Number of Movements Accompanied Size Duration Range
Lena Mae Johnson McLin A Summer Day Piano 1 No Solo