THE JOY OF HOPE FOYE

In honor of Women’s History month, we salute the remarkable and resilient Hope Foye.  Foye is an 86-year old African American classical vocalist who was recently honored by the Union Bank of California as the featured artist on their Black History month CD entitled “Singing Her Song:  The Story of Hope Foye.”  The CD is a collection of rare songs from Foye’s archives and a narrative of her life during the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
 
Foye once dreamed of performing at the famous Metropolitan Opera House in New York.  As a result of the racial intolerance during that period, however, she was denied this opportunity.  Finding it difficult to obtain work in the United States, her dream, but not her spirit, was shattered.  A woman of great courage and strength, she went on to achieve international acclaim living and performing abroad for 24 years.  Her credits include performances in Europe, Austria, Switzerland, Israel and Mexico.  She performed in seven different languages and was the first black performer to have her own television show in Mexico, The Hope Foye TV program.
 
Foye is an inspiration to women around the world.  Her name (Hope), her life and her legacy, are characteristic of the promises fulfilled when talent meet perseverance.  She currently resides in San Pedro, California.  She teaches vocal “aerobics”, a skill learned in Berlin.  It stresses using the body, as opposed to the throat, as an instrument of song.