A History of Gospel Music

Join us at the Oklahoma History Center on Thursday, November 7, 2013, as we explore the history of Gospel in Oklahoma. The Ambassadors’ Concert Choir will use narrators to highlight Gospel’s development from slave chants, shouts, and work songs through the present.

The program will feature hymns by Isaac Watts, John Wesley and others; spirituals by William Dawson, Hall Johnson and the famed Fisk Jubilee Singers; and gospel music from some of the best known writers of yesterday and today. There will be a portion of the program focusing on Oklahoma writers and musicians including “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” written by Wallis Willis; the music of Guthrie native Glenn Edward Burleigh; the music of Jessie Mae Renfro Sapp; and others. The museum will open at 6:00 PM with the program running from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

Admission is free and seating is limited. For more information please contact us at education@okhistory.org or by phone at (405) 522-3602.

About the Ambassadors’ Concert Choir:
It is the Mission of the Ambassadors’ Concert Choir to provide an avenue of performance of vocal music that can be shared with a diversity of listeners, to present a composite message to the listening public. Their purpose is to (1) provide the opportunity for serious study and performance of music of all genre, (2) bring about a community awareness of and appreciation for music of all genre, (3) encourage the musical development of young students, and (4) promote workshops for strengthening adult musicians. Thirty-three years later, our goals have not changed and our aspirations still center around presenting programming that will entertain, educate, uplift, and inspire. That’s what performing is all about. It is another chance to come into the lives of citizens in the community (if only for a while) and take them on wonderful musical journeys to distant lands, exciting people, amusing stanzas, and inspirational messages. This program is sponsored in part by SONIC, America’s Drive-in.