Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
2003-03-15
Section: FaithValues
Edition: Final
Page: H1
SINGERS IN UNISON
FESTIVAL OF CHOIRS
GROUPS JOIN VOICES FOR MULTIDENOMINATIONAL CHOIR FESTIVAL
Rich Copley, Herald-Leader Arts Writer
IF YOU GO
The Lexington Singers are used to performing in area churches, but in November 2001, they had church, and they had some expert guidance at the first Festival of Choirs. For one afternoon, five African-American church choirs and the Singers joined forces in a concert that ended with a rousing rendition of Get Right Church and Let's Go Home. It had Singers music director Jefferson Johnson, who is used to leading baroque cantatas and the like, wailing as if he was Al Green.
"We learned a lot about gospel performance that afternoon," Johnson said, laughing.
Well, the Singers will be taking Gospel 102 this afternoon during the second annual Festival of Choirs at Shiloh Baptist Church.
"There are a lot of joint choir performances," said Charles F. Little, program coordinator for the festival. "But in 32 years, this is the first interracial performance I can remember."
The event was the brainchild of Singers member and former Fayette County Public Schools superintendent Ron Walton.
"Our strategic plan has called for us to begin reaching out to underserved populations," said Walton. "That would include senior citizens, younger people and minority communities."
Thinking about minority communities, "It occurred to me, instead of having a concert and saying come here, let's go to them, on their turf.
"So, I came up with Festival of Choirs and doing something individually and then combined at the end."
Observed Little, "Music transcends racial boundaries and socioeconomic classes."
After the Lexington Singers' board decided to go ahead with the festival, it was up to Walton and Little to organize it.
"I decided how many choirs I wanted to get involved," Little says. "We definitely wanted to get large churches involved, like Shiloh and Wesley United Methodist. But we also wanted to get a variety of groups."
For the second edition, Little endeavored to mix it up a little bit, inviting choirs from First Baptist Church of Bracktown, Mount Calvary Baptist and the Edwards Sisters to perform with Shiloh and Wesley. Ladies of Faith will be the opening act, performing at 3:30 p.m.
"I've told them they have to bring their A game," Mount Calvary Baptist minister of music Chad Higgins said of his choir members. "We're going to have all these great choirs from the city on the same program, so we have to be at our best."
The format will be like last year: Each choir will get 12 minutes to perform, then the entire ensemble will come together for a few numbers at the end.
"There are so many styles of music," Little said. "The Bracktown youth choir will be very contemporary, and then you have the Edwards Sisters, who are traditional gospel."
"Very traditional," Wanda Edwards Jones confirmed, with a smile.
She was in the audience last year and remembers the festival as "a very uplifting event."
And while bridging racial gaps and things of that sort are laudable goals, Little and Johnson said the uplifting element of the Festival of Choirs is of primary importance.
"The real essence of this is praising God," Little said. "Even though it is multidenominational, it is a very spiritual experience. Ultimately, we are there to make a connection between music and a higher force in our lives."
Reach Rich Copley at (859) 231-3217 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3217, or rcopley@herald-leader.com.
2003-03-15
Section: FaithValues
Edition: Final
Page: H1
SINGERS IN UNISON
FESTIVAL OF CHOIRS
GROUPS JOIN VOICES FOR MULTIDENOMINATIONAL CHOIR FESTIVAL
Rich Copley, Herald-Leader Arts Writer
IF YOU GO
The Lexington Singers are used to performing in area churches, but in November 2001, they had church, and they had some expert guidance at the first Festival of Choirs. For one afternoon, five African-American church choirs and the Singers joined forces in a concert that ended with a rousing rendition of Get Right Church and Let's Go Home. It had Singers music director Jefferson Johnson, who is used to leading baroque cantatas and the like, wailing as if he was Al Green.
"We learned a lot about gospel performance that afternoon," Johnson said, laughing.
Well, the Singers will be taking Gospel 102 this afternoon during the second annual Festival of Choirs at Shiloh Baptist Church.
"There are a lot of joint choir performances," said Charles F. Little, program coordinator for the festival. "But in 32 years, this is the first interracial performance I can remember."
The event was the brainchild of Singers member and former Fayette County Public Schools superintendent Ron Walton.
"Our strategic plan has called for us to begin reaching out to underserved populations," said Walton. "That would include senior citizens, younger people and minority communities."
Thinking about minority communities, "It occurred to me, instead of having a concert and saying come here, let's go to them, on their turf.
"So, I came up with Festival of Choirs and doing something individually and then combined at the end."
Observed Little, "Music transcends racial boundaries and socioeconomic classes."
After the Lexington Singers' board decided to go ahead with the festival, it was up to Walton and Little to organize it.
"I decided how many choirs I wanted to get involved," Little says. "We definitely wanted to get large churches involved, like Shiloh and Wesley United Methodist. But we also wanted to get a variety of groups."
For the second edition, Little endeavored to mix it up a little bit, inviting choirs from First Baptist Church of Bracktown, Mount Calvary Baptist and the Edwards Sisters to perform with Shiloh and Wesley. Ladies of Faith will be the opening act, performing at 3:30 p.m.
"I've told them they have to bring their A game," Mount Calvary Baptist minister of music Chad Higgins said of his choir members. "We're going to have all these great choirs from the city on the same program, so we have to be at our best."
The format will be like last year: Each choir will get 12 minutes to perform, then the entire ensemble will come together for a few numbers at the end.
"There are so many styles of music," Little said. "The Bracktown youth choir will be very contemporary, and then you have the Edwards Sisters, who are traditional gospel."
"Very traditional," Wanda Edwards Jones confirmed, with a smile.
She was in the audience last year and remembers the festival as "a very uplifting event."
And while bridging racial gaps and things of that sort are laudable goals, Little and Johnson said the uplifting element of the Festival of Choirs is of primary importance.
"The real essence of this is praising God," Little said. "Even though it is multidenominational, it is a very spiritual experience. Ultimately, we are there to make a connection between music and a higher force in our lives."
Reach Rich Copley at (859) 231-3217 or 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3217, or rcopley@herald-leader.com.
Reprinted courtesy of the Lexington Herald-Leader