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Saturday December 3rd is a very special occasion for Heaven Bent Gospel Choir. The choir is celebrating 15 years together, sharing the joy of singing African-American gospel – a genre known for its heavenly harmonies and stirring rhythms.

“Gospel’s links to other kinds of music – among them soul, blues, folk, and classical choral – combined with its catchy simplicity, make the music familiar and appealing straight away,” says choir director and Balmoral resident Phil May. “It's uplifting and it brings people together!”

The diversity and beauty of gospel music, along with the inspirational teaching of Tony Backhouse –--undoubtedly the foremost gospel conductor in Australasia--–motivated a group of people to form their own choir which later evolved into Heaven Bent. Who would have foreseen that 15 years later, after many phases of growth and change, the choir would still be together singing stronger and better than ever!

The choir’s repertoire covers a wide range of songs ranging from heartfelt traditional spirituals (such as ‘Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child’) to the bluesy melodies of Sister Rosetta Tharpe (‘My Journey to the Sky’), through to more contemporary arrangements such as Curtis Mayfield’s (‘People Get Ready’). In recent years the choir has extended its repertoire to include African gospel, Waiata and Pacific Island songs, which are greatly enjoyed by choir and audiences alike.

Heaven Bent’s final concert of the year is to celebrate its history, sense of community, and passion for the music. The choir members are delighted to welcome back Tony Backhouse as special guest performer for this occasion, particularly as he was the original inspiration for forming the choir. His connection to the music and dynamic style are sure to engage the audience and raise the roof!

“Gospel music is invariably uplifting, whether you are religious or not,” says choir member Nancy Synnestvedt. “When we get together and the singing starts, we are carried along with the rhythms and melodies of this glorious music. It’s wonderful to be able to share this joy with our audiences as well.”

For further media information contact Nancy: (09) 445-9098 or 027-642-4731
Choir information: www.heavenbent.org.nz

When: Saturday, December 3rd
Where: Holy Trinity Church, 20 Church Street Devonport.
Time: 8:00pm
Tickets: $15.00 ($12.00 unwaged)
Contact: Nancy (09) 445-9098 or Kara (09) 836-8804