On Saturday night, 11/7/09 in the city of Detroit, was held the Choir FINALE of 11 Regional Winning Choirs across the country, coming together to compete for the Best Choir in America 09 and the Runner up. This is a rather intense undertaking because the prize for the winner is $25,000 and the runner up $15,000. The Choir's FINALE will be televised on November 22 on The Gospel Music Channel. If you want to see the clip of the two winning choirs before Nov. 22, go to: http://www.howsweetthesound.com/media/videos/2009/2009+finale however, all the other nine choirs will be televised.
For those of us who could not go to Detroit, we were able to attend any of the winning regional choirs churches where Verizon would be live-streaming the concert. Of course I went to the closest one which was Bishop Noel Jones City of Refuge Church in LA. By the way, last month I felt that his choir would come in second place and the DC choir first place. fast forward: The DC choir (The Remnant Concert Choir from Pittsburgh, PA) came in second place and City of Refuge did not place. The winning choir was from ATL. (Atlanta West Pentecostal Church Choir from Lithia Springs, GA.)
City of Refuge Choir P S A L M S
Kudos to Verizon for having judges this year who knew something about gospel singing and choirs: Byron Cage, Dorinda Clark Cole and Marvin Sapp. The remarks about the choirs soon got very redundant but maybe it was because eight of the choirs stepped up their game from their regional win. I personally find it somewhat odd that most choirs sings the same song performed in the regional, so why aren't the judges more prepared to give a more detail and enlighten analyses? This would be helpful for people who have no clue about gospel music. Sapp comes closes to that, but he's at every city, so he may be more comfortable. Dorinda is so cool, but she said to most directors "it showed you put alot of time with your choir" -- I tickle myself as I mouth what she was going to say before she said it. That phrase is not one of the criteria's listed in the rules of performing. "That's a given Dorinda, we are talking about $25,000, so yes all of them spent a zillion hours preparing."
The Winning Choir: Their performance of Smallwood's "Anthem of Praise" was full of energy. That is all I'm going to say about their performance which is MORE than any of the judges said. When ATL completed their performance, the audience clap in appreciation of what they did. The song was over. MC Donald Lawrence comes on stage, as he does with all the choir directors, to ask their name and lead them to the judges. After the ATL choir, he came on stage but did what many ministers do when they end their sermon--started hooping. Within one second, all the ATL choir members where in the holy dance. (as if on cue). The organ did his thing and the church, I mean, arena "went in". Suddenly, all three judges are up dancing and the camera is now on the director doing a marvelous four step dance (which I must admit got me out of my chair because he is White but feet were moving like he was Black). During this 'post activity' I text a friend and didn't know it would be prophetic: ATL just sung and D. Lawrence did it again pump them on to shout after they sung judges are still shouting - anointed? DC is up next and last for the night. Finally, the director is in front of the judges: Cage says how can you judge the holy ghost? And then preceded to dance some more. Then Dorinda spoke in tongues and Marvin preached about what just happened--using the word anointing alot. None of the judges said zip about the choir's performances of Anthem of Praise. This is a perfect example of the use of "sole discretion" by the judges, and their disregard of the written rules.
Here's my recap: if the anointing falls on any choir while they are singing, let HIM Have HIS WAY LORD. if the anointing falls at the end of the song as a result of the song (cause-effect), let HIM Have HIS WAY LORD. In this case, the anointing did not fall at either spot. So what I'm saying is that, the choir was selected as the Best Choir in America, NOT because of the 30% presence, 40% technical skills and 30% originality and creativity, but they were chosen by the dancing and "anointing" after the song. There were clearly 7 choirs that sound better than the ATL choir, which is not a subjective statement. You will agree when you watch the televised concert.
The choir from the DC region and City of Refuge from the LA region in my opinion are exactly skilled in every way. If I was a judge, the points would be the same. After seeing their performance that night, I decided that DC should come in second because the 'breaker' was simple: the choice of song. 'Sold Out' has more energy inherited in the song versus the tight arrangement of DC's 'Blessed Assurance'. But if DC had sung a song in the Sold Out genre, it would have been extremely difficult to choose. Then I would get to use my "sole discretion" in selecting the winner.
Have you ever wish you could re-live a behavior? That happened to me at The City Of Refuge Church that night. When they announced DC as runner up, I just knew City of Refuge had it. But when they said ATL, there was this eerie momentary silence, followed by a few, no, more than a few, clapping for the winner. For me it was like I was hit in the stomach forcefully and had to catch my breath before reacting. The members of City of Refuge dismissed rather quietly. A true display of Christianity as there was no hostile loud statements. Some may say they were in shock. They were clearly disappointed by the facial expressions. Well there were my friends (not members there) who didn't mind vocalizing their displeasure, and I got caught up in that too. I'm sure the members wonder, who were we? and why are THEY so upset. A young man I mentored, Adrien Grace, told me twice, they are all winners let's move on. I was in protest mode so I wasn't hearing him at the time. If I could re-live that moment, I would be like Adrien. I was really convicted on that when I got in the car and prayed that I wouldn't loose focus on what this choir competition goal is really all about. What it is not is an American Idol. So I apology to my Inland Empire friends and in the unlikelihood that those City of Refuge members who were there who heard me, ever reads this blog. I'm sorry about my behavior which was not and is not Christ-like. One of my sayings in everything else in life is "it's not that deep", and that's what I should have said that night too. If I was not a member of any church, I would join City of Refuge based on that positive kind response of the crowd. Someone got to the mic as we were walking out, obviously lost for words too, said goodnight and that when the choir returns we will treat them as winners. In the opening announcments, they acknoweldge last year's regional winners: Mt. Rubidoux SDA Church out of Riverside, CA. They had them stand. There weren't many there, but it was certainly a nice jesture.
Where do we go from here? I love gospel music, especially choirs, so I will pay my five dollars and go to the Verizon regional contest next year and jump and shout for the choir I feel is the best. And pray that I will not be saying next year as I am this year "How Bitter The Sound; A Verizon Wireless Experience."
With love,
W I L L I E
Willie... Glad you've joined the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteWillie, I concur with everything you said. What an accurate account of what went on. Adrien is right, when all is said and done all the choirs are winners. I am still thankful to Verizon for putting all of their stock in the music of the church choir. I am forever grateful to the organization for putting Mt. Rubidoux and the SDA Church on the map in such a positive light. Kudos once again to the Verizon organization for such a wonderful concept.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand I am so dissappointed that the Judges would disregard all rules when so much time and effort was not only put into writing them (please go to the HSTS website and review the judging criteria), but also the disregard for all the time and effort that each choir took to try to adhere to them. Instead of talking about how much time the director put in to their choir, Dorinda should have taken more time to review the rules and spent more of her time adhering to them!! I am still amazed that these gospel artists were not intelligent enough to govern by the objective rules instead of subjective emotionalism.
I am also dissappointed that Verizon would allow the violation of many of their "unwritten rules". One for instance is that all the choirs were instructed not to have the band play after the song ends. The band cannot play while the choir is exiting the stage. Also points were to be deducted if your song goes over 6 minutes which is calculated when the last note is played. Atlanta violated both and the judges not only allowed it but rewarded them for it! Somehow that should not be,.. inspite of the "sole discretion" clause....why have rules at all?
In spite of it all I must say that I am so looking forward to the broadcast on Nov. 22 so I can shout and celebrate with all the regional winners during their Detroit performance! I am most anxious to see City of Refuge. I heard their Detroit performance topped the one in LA...that's hard to believe... I can't wait!!!!
Alan W.