Thanks to some creative scheduling and inter-community cooperation, the Soweto Gospel Choir will bring their colorful, high-energy African music and dance show to the Rockbox Theater on April 7.

Details:
The Soweto Gospel Choir will perform one show on Wednesday, April 7, in Fredericksburg at the Rockbox Theater at 7:30pm. Reserved seating for this event is available at the Rockbox Theater, 109 N. Llano Street in Fredericksburg. Ticket prices range from $28-$40. The Rockbox Ticket Office is open daily from 9am-6pm, Monday-Saturday. Call Toll Free: 866-349-6688 or Local: 830-997-7625. Cash/check/credit card.

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Soweto Choir comes to town

by Phil Houseal
Mar 24, 2010

Thanks to a quirk of scheduling, instead of traveling to the heart of Africa to listen to a Grammy Award winning gospel group, you can just stroll down the street around the corner.

That will lead you to the Rockbox Theater in Fredericksburg, where you will hear the Soweto Gospel Choir on Wednesday, April 7. This is the Soweto Gospel Choir - the “Grammy winning, performed at the world’s greatest concert halls, Oscar nominated for best song (Wall-E), recorded with Celine Dion, Bono, Dionne Warwick, guested on Oprah, and sang for presidents and archbishops” Soweto Gospel Choir.

How did they happen to be singing in The Polka Capital of Texas? There is a story there.

Sue Talford, Director of Marketing for the Kerrville Performing Arts Society, called up a few weeks back with a challenge. “Phil,” she asked, “do you know a venue in Fredericksburg that could host a performance by an international act?”

I needed a little more information.

That’s when Talford divulged that due to an unanticipated break in their tour schedule, we could get the Soweto Gospel Choir. The official description reads that they are a 26-member choir that performs African Gospel Music, singing in six languages, presented in a show that combines a four-piece band, earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, colorful costumes, and high energy dancing.

Safe to say Fredericksburg has never hosted a show quite like this.

I ran through all the venues I knew of in town, mentally crossing them off one by one. Too small, already booked, out of service, not a good fit, too small, too small, and too small.

There was one long shot. Just a few weeks ago I had written an article on The Rockbox, that jumpin’ joint that runs rock and roll shows Thursday through Sunday. According to empresario Russ Hearn, their mission has grown to bring in compatible performing groups on nights the resident troupe is not presenting shows. The most recent example is High Valley, a well-received band of brothers from Canada, who have developed quite a following in the Hill Country.

It was a long shot. But I called up Mike Kinchen, Operations Manager, with one question - how many do you seat?

“Three ninety,” was his answer.

Giddy up. I put everyone in touch.

A few weeks later, both Talford and Hearn called to report that the show was coming to town.

“KPAS is very excited about doing a community collaboration with the Rockbox Theater in Fredericksburg,” Talford said.

Hearn is just as excited. “Rockbox is delighted to join with KPAS in this venture to bring one of the world's most acclaimed gospel choirs to Kerrville and Fredericksburg,” he said. “Our hope is that our communities will support this cooperative effort and that we can co-produce future events with world-class distinguished artists of this caliber.”

And that is what this is - a story of collaboration between two communities that love and support the arts. Of two artistic enterprises that recognized an opportunity to bring in a group otherwise unavailable to a smaller venue. It’s win win win win.