Needs keyboard/piano/organ for venues.

The Festival Choir of Christ United Methodist Church

of Sugar Land, Texas

Under the direction of Lahonda Sharp since 1984, The Festival Choir of Christ United Methodist Church sings regularly during the traditional worship services of this 5100 member church. The choir also presents at least two major concerts each year, performing such sacred literature as the the Brahms German Requiem, the Mozart Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, the Rutter Requiem, Gloria, and Magnificat, the Saint Sean Christmas Oratorio, the Vivaldi Gloria, the Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ, Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass and Magnificat, the Randol Bass Gloria, and most recently the Howard Goodall Eternal Light.

In 2002, The Festival Choir traveled to New York where Ms. Sharp made her conducting debut in New York’s Carnegie Hall as part of MidAmerica Production’s Spring Concert Series, conducting the Schubert Mass in G. Ms. Sharp returned to Carnegie Hall in 2005, conducting the Mozart Coronation Mass with over 300 singers, combining members of the Festival choir with other choirs across the United States. In 2004 the choir was a featured choir in the International Church Music Festival in Bern, Switzerland, performing with Sir David Wilcocks. In 2007 the choir presented a concert tour of Greece. In the spring of 2008, The Festival Choir was one of ten choirs in the world invited to sing at the General Conference of the United Methodist Church under the direction of Ms. Sharp.

Under the joint direction of Lahonda Sharp and James Knapp, the Festival Choir has performed in historic churches and concert halls in Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, England, Scotland, Wales, Russia, and Poland. In 1996, the choir was a featured choir at the International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England and sang in worship services in London at the Westminster Central Methodist Building and at Wesley Chapel as well as presenting concerts throughout England. In 1998 the choir performed the Fauré Requiem with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in Moscow, Russia, along with a concert featuring American Gospel Music with soloist Barbara Tucker, and performed throughout Russia and Poland. The concert tour included concerts for The Palaces of St. Petersburg Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia, including concerts in the Peterhoff Palace and the Hermitage Concert Hall with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and featured soloist, Barbara Tucker.

Again, under the joint direction of James Knapp and Lahonda Sharp and featuring soloist Barbara Tucker, the Festival Choir is pleased to be making a concert tour in Italy in the fall of 2010.

Bio for accompanist, Kenneth Clayborne:

Kenneth is a native of Houston, Texas and is currently in his twenty-first year overseeing a comprehensive music department of one of the oldest African-American Methodist churches in the city of Houston. Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church choirs and ensembles have performed throughout the state of Texas including the Alley Theater and Wortham Center in Houston. The City of Houston and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. have honored Kenneth for his “Excellence in the Performing Arts” locally and throughout the United States.

Kenneth is in his eighth season as Associate Conductor with the Bayou City Performing Arts in Houston. He also served as accompanist for the 2004/2005 season. Early studies in piano performance began with Mrs. P.O. Smith and at Houston Baptist University with Mrs. Ruth Strittmatter. He continued his educational pursuits in voice, organ and choral conducting at Lon Morris College and Oklahoma City University with Dr. Robert Fordyce, Ernestine Scott, Emogene Collins and Dr. Antone Godding. His performances with numerous recognized choral artists have fostered a diverse educational experience enabling him to perform, arrange and compose in multiple musical styles.

Kenneth holds memberships in regional and national music organizations including a seat on the Board of Directors of the Texas Conference Choir Clinic for Music and Worship Arts. He is a frequent guest conductor, choral clinician and accompanist for workshops throughout the United States.


Bio for soloist, Barbara Johnson:

Barbara Johnson Tucker has appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award winning drama The Great White Hope starring James Earl Jones and has sung at both Carnegie Hall and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She sang at the state funerals of Mickey Leland and Barbara Jordan, has performed before Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, and was a frequent soloist for the national anthem at Houston professional sports events.

Barbara resides in Houston and is a member of Good Hope Baptist Church, (Rev. D. Z. Cofield, Pastor), where she served on the music staff for nearly ten years. She has also served as a voice consultant in the school of Fine Arts at Texas Southern University. She has produced eleven recordings of hymns and gospel music and is the original artist of the now world-wide gospel favorite, Order My Steps, (written by the late Glenn Burleigh).

She has performed in concerts across the United States, spreading a message of faith through song. In the last several years, Barbara’s ministry has spread abroad as she witnessed in England, Switzerland, The Czech Republic, Holland and Manger Square in Bethlehem. In 1998, she participated in a concert tour of Russia and Poland with members of the Festival Choir of Christ United Methodist Church and additionally presented a solo concert in St. Petersburg, Russia. Barbara Johnson Tucker’s sensitivity, sincerity and spiritual conviction are embodied in her unusual vocal mixture of classical and gospel music.

Kenneth is a native of Houston, Texas and is currently in his twenty-first year overseeing a comprehensive music department of one of the oldest African-American Methodist churches in the city of Houston. Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church choirs and ensembles have performed throughout the state of Texas including the Alley Theater and Wortham Center in Houston. The City of Houston and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. have honored Kenneth for his “Excellence in the Performing Arts” locally and throughout the United States.

Kenneth is in his eighth season as Associate Conductor with the Bayou City Performing Arts in Houston. He also served as accompanist for the 2004/2005 season. Early studies in piano performance began with Mrs. P.O. Smith and at Houston Baptist University with Mrs. Ruth Strittmatter. He continued his educational pursuits in voice, organ and choral conducting at Lon Morris College and Oklahoma City University with Dr. Robert Fordyce, Ernestine Scott, Emogene Collins and Dr. Antone Godding. His performances with numerous recognized choral artists have fostered a diverse educational experience enabling him to perform, arrange and compose in multiple musical styles.

Kenneth holds memberships in regional and national music organizations including a seat on the Board of Directors of the Texas Conference Choir Clinic for Music and Worship Arts. He is a frequent guest conductor, choral clinician and accompanist for workshops throughout the United States.

Sacred Music Repertoire for Italy Tour

Church Services Repertoire - Selections from the following:

Kyrie by John Leavitt

Kyrie:

Gloria:

Sanctus:

Agnus Dei:

Hallelujah:

Blessing:

Gloria from Messa a 3 vocci in La minore by Antonio Lotti

Sanctus from Messa a 4 voci in Do maggiore by Antonio Lotti
Sanctus from the Gospel Mass by Robert Ray

Agnus Dei by Howard Goodall, Eternal Light
Agnus Dei by Robert Ray, Gospel Mass

Hallelujah (Acclamation) from the Gospel Mass by Robert Ray

Bless the Lord, O My Soul by Glenn Burleigh
Jesus, My Lord, My Life, My All by Bob Burroughs

Prelude and/or Postlude:
Pie Jesu by Andrew Lloyd Webber (duet)
Panis Angelicus by Cesar Franck (duet)
Psalm 23 The Lord is My Shepherd by Allen Pote

Concert Repertoire – Selections from above and the following:

Gospel Music of Glenn Burleigh (featuring soloist Barbara Tucker)

Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Jesus is a Rock in a Weary Land
Order My Steps
Again I Say Rejoice
I Know That My Redeemer Liveth

Other selections by American Composers:
How Excellent Is thy Name by Audrey Snyder
Lamentations of Jeremiah by Z. Randall Stroope
O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing by Mark Miller
The Lord is My Shepherd by Allen Pote
O Lux Beatissima by Howard Helvey
Selections from Gospel Mass by Robert Ray (Sanctus, Hallelujah, Agnus Dei)
The Majesty and Glory of Your Name, by Tom Fettke
The Lord Bless You and Keep You by John Rutter

• group is able to prepare for a sung mass
• the group can perform in a town square or open theater (no sound system)
• the group would enjoy singing informally (on the spot)
• group would you stay for a snack/buffet after the performance

Keyboard , Organ , Electricity

Organ is not necessary, but would be nice if the venue allows. Would need electricity for keyboard, unless keyboard is battery operated. As long as keyboard amplifies loud enough for a 28 person choir, then we should be good to go. SG