Soweto Gospel Choir Performs for Students

By the edhat staff

The Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa performed for local students Thursday morning at the Granada Theatre.

Sponsored by UCSB Arts & Lectures as a student outreach program, approximately 1,100 Santa Barbara area 4-6th graders were in attendance. Participating schools were: Washington, Franklin, Peabody, Cold Springs, SB Charter, Isla Vista, and Mountain View elementary schools. 

The three-time Grammy-winning choir formed in 2002 and is comprised of seventeen unique voices. Commemorating South Africa’s Freedom Movement and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., they performed a rousing program of South African gospel and spirituals in a variety of languages.

They also performed their own heartfelt renditions of songs made famous by Billie Holiday, James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin with a driving percussion section.

The choir also performed for the general public on Wednesday evening at Campbell Hall on UCSB’s campus.

For other music and arts performances hosted by Arts and Lectures, click here.

The Soweto Gospel Choir at the Granada Theatre (courtesy photo)