How to go
What: Chicago Mass Choir in concert
Where: The Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton
When: 7 p.m. March 31
Cost: $25; tickets can be purchased in person at the Schuster Center Wintergarden, online at the Victoria
Theatre website (www.victoriathea
tre.com) or at www. ticketcenterstage.
com, or by calling (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630.
More info: (937) 228-7591 or www.victoria theatre.com
Music workshop
What: Gospel music workshop by Professor William Hamilton, chartered member of Chicago Mass Choir and New Covenant Baptist music minister
Where: The Schuster Center, Second and Main streets, Dayton
When: 8:30 a.m. to
1 p.m. March 31
Cost: $15 per person
Note: Attendance is limited to three to four people from each church/organization.
Reservations: Call Betty Gould at (937) 461-8295 or email her at betty.gould@victoriatheatre.com.
The Chicago Mass Choir is going to raise the rafters with “God Is My Everything,” “Mighty Good God” and other gospel tunes next Saturday at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton.
The choir has performed with Bob Dylan, Umphrey’s McGee and Three Mo’ Tenors. Since forming in 1990, the choir has recorded 15 Billboard-charting projects.
The March 31 concert is part of KeyBank’s African-American Arts Festival.
African-American gospel music had its origins in the South. Slaves took refuge from their hard lives by lifting up God in praise; certain that they would eventually be delivered from their suffering.
“This festival is consistent with KeyBank’s corporate strategy to support diversity across our footprint,” said Edward B. Reilly, president of KeyBank’s southwest Ohio district. “We have supported this initiative for the past five years and embrace the Victoria Theatre Association’s focus on ensuring the community has access to diverse artistic offerings.”
The Chicago Mass Choir has been especially blessed this year. After returning from the 2012 Stellar Awards in Nashville, where it was nominated for Choir of the Year and Traditional Choir of the Year, the group won the Albertina Walker 2012 Gospel Entertainer of the Year award at the 31st annual Chicago Music Awards on Jan. 15. To top it off, the choir has been nominated for a 2012 Gospel Music Association Dove Award. Their CD/DVD “Chicago Mass Choir Presents XV — Live” earned a Dove nomination for Traditional Gospel Album of the Year.
Feranda Williamson, choir president/CEO, said, “We have been ministering for over 23 years and are blessed to have the opportunity to share our music ministry throughout the world.”
The choir went on a 14-city tour of Spain last December. Prior to that, the choir completed several 10-city tours throughout Switzerland. It performed a two-night concert in Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2008, and a two-week tour in Athens, Greece, in 2009. The celebrated choir also performed a 12-city concert tour in Italy in December of 2010.
The Chicago Mass Choir was featured in the TV series “America Sings” on GMC, the former Gospel Music Channel.
The 85-member choir includes ministers and evangelists from various denominations. Approximately 50 members will be making the bus trip to Dayton.
“I am excited,” Williamson said, “not only about the concert, but the opportunity to have one of our chartered members, Professor William Hamilton, facilitate the workshop the morning of the concert.”
The choir was organized by the late James C. Chambers in 1988 in Chicago. The choir’s musical director is Percy Gray Jr.
Contact contributing writer Pamela Dillon at pamdillon@woh.rr.com.
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