JOYFUL VOICES GOSPEL CHOIR
Lawn
Lawn
Director
Stefano Giacomelli
President
Diletta Pagnini
Membership Code
FCI828/21
Seat
Meadow
United Kingdom
Type of choir
Mixed voices
Repertory
sacred polyphony
Site / Email
www.joyfulvoices.it
joyfulvoices@pec.it
The Joyful Voices represent in Prato, and in the surrounding area, one of the first choral realities that has dedicated itself to the enhancement of the musical heritage of the American black tradition.
Gospel music is an exhilarating form of prayer and art at the same time, which everyone can experience without distinction of age, ethnicity, religious beliefs and personal abilities. There are countless occasions in which gospel music has managed to move the intimate sensitivity of spectators belonging to profoundly different beliefs and cultures, uniting them in a single voice, uniting them in a single intent, if not to awaken their Faith.
Founded in 2001, the association intends to share in that joy that comes from singing together while having fun. Currently the choir is divided into three sections and is accompanied live by an electric piano and some instruments (harpsichord, jambè, cajon, rain stick and others).
We are convinced that the practice of choral singing is an educational and formative experience in particular for young people and adolescents. An experience that can become a source of both religious values (given that our songs, which also have an anonymous and popular origin, present texts focused on sacred themes) and more generally human and cultural.
Someone will ask: why did we choose gospel…Our culture offers many ideas for choral singing, but we wanted to choose this genre because we do not feel it absolutely far away, despite being territorially and culturally. We chose Gospel because we believe in the message that this music conveys, and that it is much more common and familiar to us than we believe. We are convinced that, although differently from the black slaves of two hundred years ago, we are all slaves to something, even if we believe ourselves to be free. Our chains are invisible, but no less heavy.
The Gospel is joy, relief, for having found in singing a form of prayer that makes the heart freer. This is why we decided to call ourselves Joyful Voices: literally “Joyful Voices” of men and women of all ages who have made Gospel a reality of social aggregation, fun, friendship and prayer.
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Sant’Angelo in Vado (PU) – Italy
Pieve Santo Stefano (AR) – Italy