Current Issue
July 2008
Check Out
Our Store  |
Preview
Lift Ev’ry Voice – GospelFest ‘06
By Katharine Hikel
Seasonal affective disorder got you down? Burlington’s 12th annual
GospelFest, an exuberant celebration of Black history and music, offers
a righteous remedy for anyone’s blues. GospelFest brings together
some of the Great White North’s finest musical talents, directing
and performing in the New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church Choir, the New
Alpha Children’s Choir, and the Burlington Ecumenical Gospel Choir
– “The best Gospel choir on this side of Lake Champlain,”
according to Director Dexter Criss.
Dr. Criss, who’s been singing, accompanying, and directing gospel
music since his childhood in Stuttgart, Arkansas, teaches Gospel music
the traditional way – through repetition, instead of reliance on
musical scores. “The people who created this music weren’t
allowed to read or write. Everything was taught by ear.” He brings
out emotion through history lessons: “Imagine you are working in
the fields, down South, day after day; it’s blistering hot and you
can’t stop – you can’t even complain; you have to hold
your peace, or your health and life would be in danger. Now SING it.”
Evelyn Kwanza, a talented and upbeat voice teacher from Essex, brings
years of training, at Oberlin and the New England Conservatory, to the
GospelFest mix, along with her smoky contralto. “I’m passionate
about Negro spirituals,” she says, “and the way the art form
marries with technical singing.” Sister Kwanza has been a force
in GospelFest since her move to Vermont in 1990. Her solos with the choir
are earth-moving events; and she leads the Children’s Choir in what’s
always a crowd-pleasing selection for young voices.
“This year’s concert features guest artist Jenni Johnson
(Vermont Woman’s cover diva,
December ’05), who’s been lighting up the Burlington music scene
since 1989: “I sing jazz, we do some R&B, some straight-ahead
blues, and a little swing. I like to call myself a stylist or entertainer.”
Johnson will add her own spice to this musically diverse event, including
a Gospel version of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
GospelFest, Sunday, February 19, 5pm, The Flynn
Center, Burlington, adults $12, children $8. Tickets available at the
Flynn Box Office, 802-863-5966, www.flynncenter.org.
A printer friendly version of this article is available.
Vermont Woman is a forum for news, issues, features, arts and entertainment from the perspective, experience, and voices of Vermont women. Vermont Woman is a monthly newspaper published in South Burlington, Vermont and is excerpted here on this site. All content ©Copyright 2006, Vermont Woman Publishing
|
|
