By Gillian Brunette
Stirring gospel music, energetic dancing and vibrant costumes are a feast for your eyes and ears.
The Algonquin Theatre will resound with the emotional sounds of pure African gospel music when the Soweto Gospel Choir performs there on Dec. 20.
Thanks to good fortune and timing, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts has managed to secure the booking of this amazing 26-strong choir.
The choir comes to Huntsville direct from the 3,000-seat Massey Hall, said festival general manager Rob Saunders. “Compared to the $84 ticket price being charged to patrons at Massey Hall, the adult ticket price of $40 is a great deal and would make a perfect early Christmas gift.”
The Soweto Gospel Choir, whose patron is Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, was formed to celebrate the unique and inspirational power of African gospel music and is dedicated to sharing the joy of faith through music with audiences around the world.
OUT OF AFRICA: The world-famous 26-voice Soweto Gospel Choir performs at the Algonquin Theatre on Dec. 20 at 8 p.m.
The choir, under the direction of David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer, draws on the best talent from the many churches in and around Soweto. It performs in six of South Africa’s 11 official languages.
When it comes to vocal talent, Africa, and more particularly South Africa, has spawned the most evocative sounds on earth and still produces the very best that the world has to offer in this art form. The Soweto Gospel Choir is that very best.
This young, dynamic choir performs both traditional and contemporary music, adding its own unique feel and interpretation to both. Concert patrons can expect earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, a capella numbers, as well as accompaniment by an exciting four-piece band and percussion section. Add to this, energetic dancing and vibrant, colourful costumes, and the mix is awesome.
This magnificent choir, styled with a contemporary feel, leaves all who hear it stunned with emotion. It is no wonder that they are charting a meteoric rise to international fame.
Those who saw the 46664 Concert in Cape Town in 2003, under the auspices of former president Nelson Mandela, will have witnessed the Soweto Gospel Choir in action alongside other musical greats, such as Bono, Queen, Anastacia, Peter Gabriel, Jimmy Cliff, and the Eurythmics.
However, no amount of glittering international recognition and praise has diverted the Soweto Gospel Choir from the mission it holds close at heart, its own AIDS orphans foundation, Nkosi’s Haven Vukani, which the choir founded in 2003. Mindful of the plight of South Africa’s sick and impoverished, the foundation supports families and organizations that receive little or no government support. These destitute families and children rely on the Soweto Gospel Choir to sing all over the world for very much more than their supper. To date, the choir has collected over three million rand ($370,000 Canadian) for Nkosi’s Haven Vukani.
Over the years, the choir has accumulated many awards, including Australia’s Performing Arts Award for Best Contemporary Music Concert in 2003, the 2003 American Gospel Music Award for Best Choir, following it up with another gospel music award for Best International Choir in October 2004. Also in 2004, the choir’s debut CD Voices from Heaven was nominated for a South African Music Award, and on Feb. 11, 2007 received a Grammy award for the CD Blessed. This year, the choir received a second Grammy for its new CD African Spirit.
Tickets for the Soweto Gospel Choir are $40 for adults and $20 for youth under 18, plus GST, and are available by visiting the Algonquin Theatre box office, by calling 789-4975 or online at www.huntsvillefestival.on.ca.
The concert, which begins at 8 p.m. on Dec. 20, is expected to sell out, so don’t wait to purchase tickets and be disappointed.
More information about the Huntsville Festival of the Arts can be found at www.trumpeterhfa.blogspot.com.
