Just when we need it most, the Soweto Gospel Choir brings its uplifting, inspiring brand of African gospel music back to the UMass campus and the Fine Arts Center’s main stage.
Soweto Gospel Choir has been one of the most celebrated ensembles in world music almost since the moment of its founding in 2002. The choir has performed in such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, London’s Royal Festival Hall, and Nelson Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg. They performed at the 2009 Academy Awards; the 2009 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Cape Town and kick-off in Johannesburg; Nelson Mandela’s funeral and memorial service in Westminster Abbey; Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s funeral; and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s memorial service. They are three-time Grammy winners for Best Traditional World Music Album for their Shanachie Records releases Blessed (2006), African Spirit (2007), and Freedom (2019).
The choir’s new live program, Peace, features South African freedom songs, traditional spirituals, and choir classics, alongside spirited selections from Aretha Franklin, Harry Belafonte, Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Leonard Cohen among others. Join us for an evening of family entertainment that will uplift the soul and spread joy with earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, brilliant costumes, and infectious spirit.