Soweto Gospel Choir - Musicians – Choir - Johannesburg
 

The Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in Soweto, South Africa by David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer, two choir directors. The 30+ member ensemble blends elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae, and American popular music. The group performed at the first of the 46664 concerts for Nelson Mandela, and has since toured internationally several times. 

Their albums Blessed and African Spirit won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album in 2007 and 2008 respectively. On 7 July 2007 they performed at South African leg of Live Earth. Also in 2007, they joined Robert Plant in contributing to Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino (Vanguard), performing their version of Domino's "Valley of Tears". At the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, the group backed up John Legend with the song Down To Earth, a song from WALL-E nominated for "Best Song" that year. The group performed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup final draw on 4 December 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Soweto Gospel Choir
 

Two time Grammy-Award winners and internationally acclaimed world music sensation Soweto Gospel Choir set to make their Academy Awards debut Sunday February 22nd.
Soweto Gospel Choir makes our world seem beautifully small. The 26-member group performs in six languages, blending traditional hymns, Western pop, and their native South African harmonies into a singularly, joyful sound." - Oprah Magazine
After a 32-date tour of Australia and New Zealand, and four weeks at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the choir has yet to go without a standing ovation. Now they're planning to take their unique brand of gospel magic to Asia, the US, and again to Europe and Australia. Not bad for a group that's only been together since November 2002.

The choir was the surprise hit of the 2003 Edinburgh Festival: they were the fourth-highest selling act out of 1 600 acts booked for the festival, putting on extra shows to meet the demand and eventually performing 29 concerts in the space of a month - delighting the reviewers as much as the audiences.

Fiona Shepherd, writing for The Scotsman, had this to say of their concert performance, "Voices of Heaven": "A capella groups Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Black Umfolozi have already cracked open the western market for indigenous South African song, but nothing can really prepare you for the riot of exuberance and depth of emotion emanating from this 24-piece ensemble ...

Soweto Gospel Choir
 

Choir master David Mulovhedzi attributes the success of the 34-member choir to the fact that it is tapping into South Africa's enormous talent pool. Its members, whose ages range from 16 to 40, hail from churches and communities in and around Soweto, and are all lead singers in their own community choirs.

The choir includes a four-piece band and some thrilling drummers and dancers in the African tradition where song, dance and drumming are an integral part of life and faith.
The choir sings traditional African gospel and a cappella. Their overseas performances also included other gospel greats like "Amazing Grace", "Paradise Road" and music by Otis Redding and reggae artist Jimmy Cliff.

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Soweto Gospel Choir - Musicians - Choir - Johannesburg