UAB Gospel Choir celebrates 20th anniversary with reunion concert Nov. 15

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Gospel Choirwill celebrate its 20th anniversary in concert on Sunday, Nov. 15, with a reunion choir, a seven-piece band and horn section, steppers, and dance and mime teams.

Under the direction of founding director Kevin P. Turner, the combined 125 voices of the current UAB Gospel Choir and the 20th anniversary reunion choir will mount the stage with alumni members from throughout the state and as far away as Tennessee, Georgia, California, Illinois and Ohio. The UAB Gospel Choir is part of the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music.

The concert is set for 6 p.m. in UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. South. Tickets are available in person at the Alys Stephens Center Box Office and at the UAB Ticket Office, and by phone at 205-975-2787 or 205-934-8000. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.alysstephens.org. Tickets are $7, $5 for UAB students and employees with UAB ID, and $5 each for groups of 20 or more with advance purchase required.

Since its inception in 1995, the UAB Gospel Choir has brought American gospel music from the choir stand to the classroom at UAB, and developed a powerhouse strategy of turning out above-average talent and presenting sold-out concerts. This highly decorated and award-winning ensemble has over the years succeeded with nationally distributed CD recordings and a performance to 5 million viewers on NBC’s “Today” show; has charted No. 1 songs on amazon.com and XM Satellite radio; and has proudly waved the UAB flag for 20 years locally, nationally and with self-funded international tours. The UAB Gospel Choir is open to all students regardless of their major. One credit hour is earned for participating. Registration is required to participate. 

Known for its vast repertoire and the eclectic mix of UAB Gospel Choir shows, this anniversary concert is certain to be historic, enjoyable and uplifting. Members of the original student-led gospel choir, Echoes of Faith, which preceded the UAB Gospel Choir, will be in attendance to receive a plaque in memory of their contributions in the 1970s and ?80s and their founding director, the late Elder Dewayne Davis.  

Concert attendees will be given the opportunity to support the current G. LaBron Smith/UAB Gospel Choir Endowed Scholarship Fundraising effort. UAB Gospel Choir member Lauren Smith, 2015 recipient of the Dr. Mildred Givens Scholarship for Excellence in Education, will be presented a $1,500 award and commemorative plaque from the Givens family. Smith is a valued member of the UAB Gospel Choir pursuing a degree in communication studies with a minor in Chinese. She comes from a large blended family and has 10 siblings, four of whom are also in college. Gospel Choir has taught her a discipline that she can apply inside and outside of the choir, she says. Freda Givens will give the presentation on behalf of the Givens Foundation.

The UAB Gospel Choir will depart May 9, 2016, for a 20th anniversary alumni tour to Canada and the East Coast. The choir will perform in Ohio, Ontario, New York and Delaware, with travel stops in Niagara Falls, New York City and Atlanta. For concert updates, like theUAB Gospel Choir on Facebook and follow it on Twitter at @UABGospelChoir.