The Charleston Symphony Orchestra, CSO Chorus, and the CSO Gospel Choir present The Evolution of a Dream, January 18, 4pm, at the Gaillard Auditorium, to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The concert will feature soprano Roberta Laws as guest soloist. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at www.charlestonsymphony.com, the Gaillard box office, ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 1-800-982-2787.
The Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the CSO Gospel Choir presented the tenth annual Gospel Christmas Saturday, December 5th, 7 pm, at the Gaillard Auditorium. Guest conductor Vincent L. Danner returned for his tenth year, and counter tenor Kenneth D. Alston, Jr., made a return as guest soloist. Thanks to all who attended.
July 20, 2009 — The CSO Gospel Choir made its return to Charleston, SC July 20 after a week long visit to London and Bath England and Paris, France. The all-volunteer choir, under the direction of Sandra S. Barnhart, performed at Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London, Bath Abbey in Bath and The American Church in Paris. Click here for a writeup in Gary Lee Kraut’s France Revisited blog.
The CSO Gospel Choir welcomed guest conductor Roland M. Carter for their debut performance in the 2009 Moja Arts Festival on October 3. Carter is a distinguished composer, especially noted as an authority on the performance and preservation of African American music. Click here for more information on the concert and Roland M. Carter.
The Moja Festival is a 25-year festival that highlights African-American and Carribean art, music, and dance. Click here for more information on the Moja Festival.
The CSO Gospel Choir will debut Pure Gospel: Authentic Reflections, Friday May 22, 5:00 pm, with a repeat performance Saturday, May 23, 5:00 pm at Citadel Square Baptist Church.
The African American spiritual blended with the secular form of the blues in the early twentieth century to create the unique blend of music we now know as Gospel Music. Pure Gospel: Authentic Reflections will highlight the works of three major contributors to the African American Gospel music style: Rev. James Cleveland, Andraé Crouch, and Edwin Hawkins, along with Thomas Dorsey, who is considered the father of the Gospel genre.
Rev. James Cleveland perfected a unique sound that resonated in the music world. He became the first Gospel Music recording artist to win the coveted Grammy Award. This recognition authenticated Gospel Music, a musical form which continues to grow, uplifting music lovers the world over. Thomas Dorsey is most well known for the hymn Precious Lord, Take My Hand.
There will be a free pre-concert recital by Ruth Crumley-Perry, Mezzo Soprano, at 3 pm on Saturday, May 23.
General admission tickets are available for $10 at the Gaillard box office, Ticketmaster outlets, or one hour before the performance at the venue.
The CSO Spiritual Ensemble will perform a repeat of their sold-out début performance at 5pm on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009, at Citadel Square Baptist Church on Calhoun and Meeting Streets downtown. The newly formed vocal group, 35 vocalists from the acclaimed CSO Gospel Choir, sings traditional African-American spirituals.
The performance Spiritual Classics highlights the importance of preserving the legacy of the spiritual and its significance to the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Tickets can be purchased for $10 (cash only) at the Gaillard Box Office or one hour before performance.
