By: Ahbri Graves
On September 11th, 2024, an accumulation of many months of planning came together to bring forth a memorable night, rightfully named the Songs of Hope concert performed by the The Grammy-winning Tabernacle Choir, the Emmy nominated Spelman College Glee Club, and the world-renowned Morehouse College Glee Club. The concert was held at the packed State Farm Arena, filled with local and traveling choral enthusiasts. Some of the travelers had gone as far to have followed the Tabernacle Choir from Utah to witness the experience. Not only was the stage massive in order to hold all of the choirs and the orchestra, but there was an amazing virtual backdrop that would depict illustrations to accompany the storytelling virtues of the songs sang.
The concert began with the tabernacle choir singing songs apart of their tour repertoire ranging from classical songs of all types, even from different regions such as South America and Asia. They then transitioned and brought the Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs on stage. Morehouse, led by Dr. David Morrow, began this section singing a concert spiritual “Great and Glorious” followed by a soulful rendition “I Ain’t Got Weary” which was received well by the crowd. The next part of the segment was preformed by the Spelman Glee Club and they sang a medley of their staple songs. Their director Dr. Kevin Johnson arranged all of the songs in their set and began his directing from the piano. They sang the popular negro spiritual “Wade in the Water” followed by “Children Go Where I send Thee” which the crowd thunderously applauded at the end due to their delight in the very physical piece. They finished off with their school song, “A Choice to Change the World” which caused a standing ovation. It’s safe to say the crowd was blown away by the choirs, especially the soloists that amplified the songs’ qualities.
The Tabernacle Choir then had a special guest join them on the stage to sings a few songs. That guest was none other than famous Broadway actress, Kristen Chenoweth. She matched the purple worn by the ladies of the Tabernacle Choir and sung into a glittery silver mic. This was indeed a nice surprise for the audience with many of them gasping and cheering at her arrival. At the conclusion of her songs, the Glee Clubs were back on the stage one final time to now sing with the Tabernacle choir, all talents and styles combining into one spectacular sound! They sang a piece that was composed by the Tabernacle Choir director, Mack Winberg, and the Spelman Glee Club director, Dr. Kevin Johnson. The piece was truly a beautiful melody with there being a kind of lulling sound that would crescendo into a powerful dynamic shout declaring that message of hope that inspired the whole concert. In association with the theme, the piece titled “Songs for the People” was the peak of the concert. Its lyrics spoke of hope, support for the community, and goodwill. It received a hearty applause that overwhelmed the entire stadium. The joy of singing together was evident on every singers face due to the warm smiles everyone donned. It truly was a captivating choral display. To close out the concert and their tour, the Tabernacle sang “Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Georgia on my Mind” which delighted the audience and gave them closure on a spectacle that would warm their hearts whenever they though of it.
