Heaven Bent Gospel & Sing for Joy Choirs
The problems for the people of Christchurch continue to increase so “Heaven Bent Gospel Choir” and the “Sing For Joy” Choir are joining together for a special fundraising event with all proceeds going to the NZ Red Cross Foundation to support their efforts in the region. (See below link)
You are invited to come and hear some great community singing, to support your family, friends and help our mainland whanau. If you haven't had a chance to hear Heaven Bent and Sing For Joy for a while, come and listen to beautiful music, but also help out on this worthy cause. Entry is by koha and the main focus of the evening is to raise funds for Christchurch.
Max Maxwell is the choir leader for "Sing For Joy" based in Auckland, NZ. His passion lies in bringing people together to create harmony and rhythm in song. All are welcome to his workshops and choir – Max truly believes that we all have a voice and to sing in harmony with a group of others is an uplifting experience and often inspires confidence. http://www.singforjoy.org.nz
'Heaven Bent Gospel' is a well established non-denominational, 35-voice community choir that sings in the gospel genre and in particular, music with African/African American roots. The choir have in recent year’s added Maori, Pacific Island and contemporary songs to their repertoire and the choir members are people who have a passion for what they do as a choir, but are also committed to using their skills for the benefit of various charities every year. The choir recently appointed a new musical director, long time member Phil May, and continues to go from strength to strength. Phil had been assistant director for several years and through his arrangements, conducting, singing and sense of enjoyment has made a big contribution to the choir’s success. http://www.heavenbent.org.nz
Where: All Saints Anglican Church, Ponsonby
When: Saturday, 19th March
Start: 6:30pm
Admission: Koha, whatever you can afford
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Member Profile
Heaven Bent Gospel ChoirHeaven Bent is a well established and highly rated non-denominational, 35-voice community choir that sings in the gospel genre and in particular, music with Afro-American roots. We have in recent year’s added Maori, Pacific Island and contemporary songs to our repertoire. Our members are people who have a passion for what they do as a choir, and they are also committed to using their skills for the benefit of various charities every year.
The choir was originally formed following a workshop with gospel guru Tony Backhouse and has been performing for fourteen years, securing a special reputation all of its own. The choir specializes in gospel and with beautiful harmonies they perform songs ranging from the deeply moving to the hand-clapping, foot stomping tunes of the African/African American Gospel tradition.. It also strives to maintain a balance between musical excellence and fun singing with a real passion for the love of gospel music.
As an a cappella choir Heaven Bent has performed for a wide variety of audiences in New Zealand from television, corporate gigs, to weddings, public performances, charity events and Arts and Music Festivals around the country; a Heaven Bent performance has become something very special.
Heaven Bent has also formed an alliance with award-winning Kapa Haka choir Hatea initially performing with them at the 2007 Waitangi Day service in the Treaty Grounds, and to packed houses in Whangarei and Auckland. Both Choirs were first brought together during 2007 Waitangi Day commemorations by Bishop Kitohi Pikaahu, who invited them to come together and reflect on what the Treaty meant for them. "For the first time for many of us we stayed on the marae, experienced our traditional New Zealand culture and we just had such a wonderful time. It was an amazing weekend and we came away with some wonderful feelings, not just for ourselves but our country as well and the potential for our country” Mr Christenson says. NZ Poet Kevin Ireland composed and read poetry especially for the concerts in Whangarei and Auckland. Also, we have a special relationship with the Auckland-based African group, Taste of Africa.
In August 2010, the choir was part of the “The Edge - Pick & Mix” programme and was given the opportunity to create a public community workshop, which had fostered confidence and communication performance within a greater audience. This programme took the form of an interactive workshop that was rich in vocalisation, movement and performance dynamics which expressed the African/African American gospel tradition and engaged the audience in lots of fun!
Heaven Bent has made many guest media appearances on APRA Scroll Awards, Mika Show, Auckland City Council Jazz & Blues Gig, Rotorua Accapella Event, Hamilton Gardens Summer Event, Sweetwaters, Organ Donation Thanksgiving Service Annual Event (since1998), Praise Be, Waitangi Day Celebrations and had released a CD The Spirit of Gospel.
