Today we were off to Port Glasgow High School. It is the second day of our musical journey and judging from yesterday’s victory, we were ready for another adventure. The school, though old in structure, was filled with life and energy by the students.
We started off our first class with an education of the history of gospel music. One of the team members spoke on the origins of black gospel music and the influence of choirs. It was surprising to see the many kids who had never heard of or this form of music. We reminded them of some of the songs sung by slaves’ in the field in times past songs like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” which spoke of the promise of leaving this earth for a home in heaven. The students seemed to be enlightened.
Next we did a variety of vocal warm-ups and exercise, which consisted of lip trills and proper diction while singing. The main goal of the day was turning the entire class into a gospel choir. This proved to be our most exciting time and to our surprise, many of the students were willing and able to accomplish this task. We divided up the class into three sections, soprano, alto, and tenor. We then proceeded to teach them the song “Bless the Lord”. What can I say other than, “They exceeded our expectations? I know that God did something great. The bible says, one man plants the seed, another waters it, but God always gives the increase. I pray that many of the students from Port Glasgow High School be a part of that increase.
