Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Voices in Praise Choir to participate in Old State Capitol event

The Voices In Praise Choir (VIP) from the University of Illinois at Springfield will be one of eight to ten local choirs participating in the “Amazing Grace – A Time of Spirituals” event at the Old State Capitol on Saturday, February 7. The event will run all day with singing from the local choirs and a showing of the movie Amazing Grace, which details the ending of the slave trade in Europe through William Wilberforce.

The day will culminate with all of the choirs joining together at President Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb to sing “Amazing Grace.” The event commemorates Lincoln’s 200th birthday and celebrates the end of slavery.

The Voice in Praise Choir will perform at 11 a.m. at the Old State Capitol and will sing four pieces: “Down by the Riverside,” “Swing Low,” “Wade in the Water” and “Kum Ba Yah.”

The choir will also be performing the same selections at the Faith Temple AME Church during its annual Black History Month Breakfast on February 28 at 10 a.m.