What is Gospel?

A good friend of mine describes Gospel Music as ‘funky hymns’! Gospel music is thought to have originated in the African-American churches of the early 20th century and has developed into a style that has inspired a whole host of modern day choirs and contemporary gospel/R&B sounds.

With amazing melodies, gospel music does more than just sound great – it moves its listeners and inspires them with messages of hope. ‘Gospel’ literally means ‘good news’ and the words of the songs convey what Christians believe to be the truth of the bible. It is impossible to be miserable when singing such a positive message about the love of God in such a fun way.

Do I have to be a Christian to join in?

No – everyone is welcome! This is a community choir, not a church choir. However, you must be happy to sing about Jesus, as He is the fundamental message of Gospel music!

Do I have to wear robes?

No! For performances we will wear simple attire, like purple tee shirts with the HCGC logo.

Is it difficult to sing?

There will be three parts for most songs. If you are not used to singing in parts this may be tricky, but you will very quickly get used to it. There will be lots of others there to sing the same thing as you! You can record the rehearsal if you want on a tape / digital recorder to practice with in the week although CD’s and lyric sheets are provided.

Soloists sing around and in between the tune – this is a type of ‘call and response’ singing which stems from the music’s African roots. We will teach you how to do this and nobody has to solo if they do not want to. The best way to learn is to listen to lots of gospel music.

Do you have some examples of gospel?

As it happens – yes! Here are some YouTube videos of some contemporary songs and choirs:

Show examples of youtube clips

What styles will HCGC be singing?

Hopefully, a bit of everything – a selection of traditional and contemporary with lots for the whole group and stacks of opportunities for soloists.