The Montpelier Community Gospel Choir, an ecumenical community choir with members from 19 Vermont towns, celebrates its 20th anniversary season with a special spring concert in Brattleboro on May 31. The choir’s mission is to share the joy, hope and inspiration of music, especially during these challenging times. Their concerts are a great time to celebrate spring with family, friends and community.
Combining soul, jazz and original and traditional gospel music, the choir is known for its powerful, exuberant concerts that invite you to get up and dance. Central Vermont’s only gospel choir, MCGC is composed of members from numerous religious and musical backgrounds, accompanied by a full band of professional local musicians. Under the leadership of John Harrison, artistic director, choir members produce a joyful, uplifting sound that reaches from deep within their souls to connect with their audiences. It is truly difficult to remain seated during their performances; the choir welcomes the audience to become engaged and share with them.
The choir was started in 1994 by Andy Shapiro, a well-known local musician and music professor at Johnson State College, and Fred Shapiro, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Montpelier. About 15 people showed up to those first few rehearsals. John Harrison stepped into the role of director when Shapiro moved on a few years later (Andy sadly passed away in 1998), though Harrison had no formal directing background at the time. Since then, under Harrison’s talented leadership, the choir has grown to an exuberant 70+ members with a full band and a polished but still emotional sound.
Please join the choir for an uplifting experience. Admission is by donation of $10 ($25 for families).
There will be more opportunities to hear gospel music this spring and summer: MCGC’s a capella choir-within-the-choir will be performing several gigs, including: Sunday, May 4, 5 p.m., opening set at GospelFest, Glitz Auditorium, SUNY, Plattsburgh, NY; Sunday, June 8, 7 p.m., concert with the Ollabelles, Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Montpelier, VT; and Wednesday, August 20, 7:30 p.m., at Essex Community Church, Essex, NY.
This season’s concerts are supported in part by the New York Community Trust, the City of Montpelier and National Life Group.
For more information, call 802-778-0881 or visit the choir’s website: vtgospel.com. You can also connect with the choir on Facebook: facebook.com/vtgospel.
—Dana Dwinell-Yardley, Montpelier, MCGC co-producer for spring 2014
