Gospel Mass Concert
The FUMC Chancel choir along with soloists Krystal Stroud, Spencer Simpson, and Lizzy Williams and members of the FUMC Modern Band gave a rousing performance of Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass Sunday evening, September 8. It was a rare opportunity for musicians from our modern and sanctuary worship services to collaborate on a big project.
Josh Taylor, Director of Worship and Music said, “We had so much fun a couple of years ago doing Tim Sharp’s Come Away to the Skies: A High Lonesome Bluegrass Mass that I wanted to look for a similar project that could incorporate the choir and our band into one concert event.”
The concert also included narration written by Dr. Taylor and narrated by Bunny Hodges that tried to highlight the place that all different types of music have in the praise and worship of God. Stevie Wilkin who attended the concert said, “It was energizing and upbeat. I couldn’t sit still in my seat. The choir, instrumentalists, soloists— they all touched my heart.”
The work, written in a black Gospel style, stretched the FUMC Chancel Choir beyond their normal Sunday morning offerings not just because of the style (the choir sings gospel music throughout the year), but because of the length of the piece and the required preparations on top of their normal Sunday morning anthems. Likewise, it required extra rehearsals and was a different experience for members of the modern band. David Huff, Associate Director of Music for Modern Worship, played bass, Brandon Morris played drums, Kelly Evans, modern keys player, added just the right amount of Hammond B3 organ sounds, and worship leaders Lizzy Williams and Krystal Stroud lent their soaring and improvisational vocal stylings to the event. Said Krystal Stroud, “It was very fun to get to do that with the choir and to sing IN the choir. It is always fun when we get together and get to do music as a whole church.”
The event was a huge success. Stay tuned for additional concert offerings from both our choir and the modern band which happen in the evening throughout the year.