#gmwa

On February 28, 2024, I, in part with the Bowie State Gospel Choir, attended the Gospel Music Workshop of America’s 2024 Collegiate Night  in Norfolk, VA. The experience is one I will truly never forget.The event started with a rehearsal comprising all five choirs in attendance for the night, in which we learned five songs, including the GMWA’s “anthem”, “We Are On Our Way” by James Cleveland and “Hold On” by Ricky Dillard (both of which quickly becoming two of my new favorite songs very quickly). The other choirs in attendance were the Norfolk State University Choir, Norfolk State Gospel Choir, and Ebony Impact (Old Dominion University). Coming together with the other choirs prior to the BSU choir’s performance was really special, and watching how we all worked and blended together so well was amazing. The actual event began at 7 pm, starting off with Praise and Worship by alums who were part of GMWA from a plethora of universities, including Norfolk State and Old Dominion. Following this were uplifting and beautiful selections performed by the Norfolk State University Choir, Norfolk State Gospel Choir, and Ebony Impact (Old Dominion University), ranging from classical gospel selections to hits by famed renowned gospel music artist Hezekiah Walker. The night ended on a high with the combined choirs performing “We Are On Our Way” (James Cleveland), “Hold On” (Ricky Dillard), “Jerusalem” (James Cleveland), “Jesus Lifted Me”(Robert Fryson) and “Let Everything That Has Breath” (Malcolm Williams).

Overall, the experience was amazing. The collegiate night was a really amazing opportunity to not only participate in but to witness the amazing talents of fellow young people who are both in college and love God. It felt like I was right at home watching every choir’s performance. Each group brought something different to the table, whether that was genre, pace, or message of the songs they sang, that spoke to my heart and opened my eyes in a new way. The various types of art forms discussed in class each have elements that make them stand out from the rest. Expressionism has more focus on exaggeration and hyperbole of emotions, while afrofuturism focuses more on elements of Black culture and the African diaspora. In the same way, each choir really brought varying elements that made the night really special. The concert choir performed more classical, acapella gospel that made you feel like you were at Heaven’s gate with how beautiful the harmonies of the choir blended. Ebony Impact brought a nostalgic yet praise-break-worthy performance of a Hezekiah Walker medley, including songs like Power Belongs to God and How Much We Can Bear (classics I’ve been singing since I was about 5). I felt something shift that night. I feel that the power of music was most evident in that room. On top of that, it was so refreshing to be around Christian people my age with a passion for singing. We all have our different stories, our different paths, our different reasons for ending up where we are, but Collegiate Night gave an opportunity for us all to come together for one common goal of singing for God, and making us united in a way I couldn’t have even imagined.