Recent Grammy winners Soweto Gospel Choir to close college’s 2006-07 arts series;

Next year’s line-up for Performing Arts Series to be announced during concert

GOSHEN, Ind. – The famed Soweto Gospel Choir will bring the tradition of South Africa’s powerful and beautiful a cappella music to Goshen College’s Sauder Concert Hall on Tuesday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. It will be the last concert for this season’s Performing Arts Series.

Formed in 2002, the 26-member choir consists of young people from churches and communities in Soweto. Performing traditional African gospel and Western contemporary gospel and pop, the music combines English and various South African languages to spread a message of hope and joy.

The Soweto Gospel Choir released its third album, “African Spirit,” in January 2007, which includes the song “One,” performed by Bono to benefit AIDS-Awareness campaigns. Their second album “Blessed” was released in January 2006 to much acclaim, including a recent Grammy award in the “Best Traditional World Music Album” category. Their first album, “Voices From Heaven,” reached number one on the Billboard World Music charts. In 2004, the group received the Best Gospel Choir Award at the American Gospel Music Awards.

As a way to give back, the choir donates much of the profits from its performances to charity. In 2003, the choir created its own foundation for AIDS orphans called Nkosis Haven/Vukani. The choir members are also ambassadors for Nelson Mandela’s AIDS foundation. Musical Director David Mulovhedzi, states, “As South Africans we’re in a position where we’re working hard to help the helpless, especially children. When we perform around the world, we receive donations and when we return home, we use them to buy whatever those kids might need.”

The New York Times described the choir’s shows as both “spirited and spectacular.” The Boston Globe said, “These are voices deeply felt as well as heard … this is soulful profoundly moving music.” The choir has toured and performed all over the world, including special events for Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is also the choir’s patron.

The choir is on a 47-city tour of the United States and Canada during 2007. For more information visit: www.sowetogospelchoir.com.

Tickets are $45 for A section, $38 for B section or $20 for C section seats. For information about ticket availability, prices, reservations or more information, contact the Welcome Center at (574) 535-7566 or e-mail welcomecenter@goshen.edu.

During the concert, the 2007-08 line-up for the series will be announced, and season tickets will go on sale following the event.

– By Megan Blank

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.