Maury Allums

Maury Allums was appointed Director of Music in the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life at Emory University on June 9, 2017. Reporting to the Dean of Religious Life, his duties include performing and coordinating music for Beloved Community Worship, memorial services, vigils, and special programs involving music to support multifaith spiritual life at Emory, as well as serving as Director of the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir.

In 1991, Mr. Allums became involved with the Voices of Inner Strength Gospel Choir as their accompanist, and he was formerly appointed Director in 1996. His duties involve weekly choir rehearsals and meetings, and coordinating the choir's involvement in Beloved Community Worship as well as their Fall and Spring Concerts and other performances at the university, in the Atlanta area, and beyond.

In 2019, the choir performed for the Emory Honor Awards Ceremony at the Carter Center. For years, the choir has been featured during Emory King Week and in campus a cappella concerts. Under Mr. Allums' leadership, the choir recorded its first CD in the year of 2000 entitled "Voices in My Head." Mr. Allums has also performed with the choir on their annual Spring Break Service Trips in California, Texas, Maryland, New York, Florida, and Louisiana, and abroad in Bermuda and Saint Thomas. The choir also wrote and performed a stage play, "S.T.O.P: Seek Thine Own Purpose," which was a great success.

For many years, Mr. Allums performed with Dr. Don Saliers in University Worship (now Beloved Community) until being appointed Director of Music and assuming full responsibility for Beloved Community music in 2017. In addition to his role with the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life, he has served as Music Director for the Candler School of Theology's Youth Theological Initiative (YTI) since 2006.

In parallel to Mr. Allums' duties at Emory, he has interned with North Carolina's "Opera Carolina," served as Minister of Music for the historic Big Bethel AME in downtown Atlanta and for the Word of Faith Love Center, and served as a musician for St. Phillip's AME Church in Decatur, Peace Lutheran Church, Redemption Fellowship PCA, Emmanuel Temple Pentecostal Church, and New Birth College Ministry.

Mr. Allums is a graduate of Morehouse College with a BA in Music and a concentration in Piano Performance. He has been featured in worship seminars, speaking on worship practices and racial reconciliation, and as a clinician in church music workshops. Additionally, he has recorded his own music as an independent artist in secular and gospel music. He continues to pursue music as a freelance musician, performing in some of Atlanta's well known venues both as a soloist and accompanist.

He enjoys traveling and expanding his horizons in both the arts and technical industries. He also enjoys reading, film, theatre, spending time with his four kids, and exercising. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Education

• BA | Morehouse College