The African-American Voices Gospel Choir

 

The African American Voices Gospel Choir At The Ohio State University (AAVGC) celebrates 18 years of dedicated service to The University, the community, and the nation at large.  Originally purposed solely to foster an environment wherein students could come and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ in song, the choir’s intention has since developed further to minister through any means of the performing arts.  In recent years AAVGC has expanded to establish additional ministries.  These ministries include Expressions of Worship, the choirs Mime team: Dancing to Zion, the contemporary dance group: and Edify, the choirs traveling small ensemble.  The chaplains also serve to provide additional spiritual consultation, reinforcing the word of God through application by non-traditional measures.  

 

Established in the spring of 1991 under the masterful direction of Dr. Lee Jones, AAVGC, known then as The Ohio State University Mentoring Choir, sang its first selections at the mentoring programs banquet.  In a period of two years the group expanded from its founding eleven members to over one hundred voices.  With this expansion also arose the opportunity for the choir to sing across the Ohio region as well as Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee.  In 1994 the choir was afforded the opportunity to go on tour visiting several universities in the south.  A few of these performances included The University of Cincinnati’s Annual Black Man Think Tank, Oberlin College, and Delta Sigma Theta Columbus Alumni Fund Raiser. 

 

In 1995 the choir revised its name to the African American Voices in an effort to sustain itself as an organization from the mentoring program.   By 1998, the choir had become a mighty force opening for the likes of Yolanda King (daughter of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.), at the Office of Minority Affairs annual fall quarter banquet.  The choir also had the privilege of partnering with Capitol University’s choir in their annual gospel explosion.  During this same year AAV was televised as the featured musical presentation for the annual Martin Luther King Jr march and Breakfast. 

 

The spring quarter of that year brought the rise of both an executive board for the choir and the partnership for an undergraduate/graduate University sponsored Gospel and spiritual course.  The executive board (E-board) offered administrative guidance especially by managing the ever-increasing requests for the choir to sing both in and out of state.  The E-board thus ensured smooth and uniform standards for the booking and traveling division as well as an additional aid to the choir’s directors.  Dr Raymond Wise, ethnomusicologist and professor for gospel music was overwhelmed by the awesome style of the choir extended the offer to choir members to sing with the University’s registered gospel choir course.  This partnership continues even to this day as a way of preserving gospel music both in and out of the academic setting. 

 

In 2000 the choir ministered in Kenyon Ohio at Kenyon University’s first annual gospel explosion.  It was also in this year that section leaders were created and added to the executive board to insure accuracy in the teaching and learning of the musical parts.  In 2001 the choir traveled and sang at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland Ohio.  This event was apart of a series of open houses and celebrations hosted at the hall of fame.  In 2002 the choir returned to its out-of-state touring regimen by visiting Atlanta Georgia singing at its various historical sites.  In 2004 the choir traveled to New York to open before Bishop Noel Jones.  The spring of 2005 moved the choir into its settled name as The African American Voices Gospel Choir at The Ohio State University.  

 

AAV’s most recent accomplishments include its ever expanding musician section and the development of an Alumni Cohort.  Gifted with instrumental ability and having a passion to grow musically and spiritually this dynamic and continually increasing musician section continues to develop both on site and away from the choir’s typical meeting locations and time with a regimen of practicing and performing.  Lastly, the choir has successfully launched an endeavor to keep previous alumni members connected and that is through the Alumni association.  This group serves as a continuing way for former members to stay connected with the choir and minister in song at the choirs annual spring concert. Its founder and current leader is 2005-2008 director Herbert Smith II.     

 

Overall, the choir offers a diverse repertoire of music including but not limited to the genre of spirituals, contemporary and traditional gospel music, original compositions, praise and worship, contemporary Christian music and accapela selections.  As followers of Christ the choir’s desire is to minister with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, always giving thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God (Ephesians 5:19-20). 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated/Recorded by David G. Powell 11/19/2007