Soweto Gospel Choir
Waltons New School of Music
After their sold-out concerts for the World Masters Series in 2008 and 2013, we are delighted to welcome back the glorious Soweto Gospel Choir for their only performance in Ireland in 2024. This is our first World Masters concert since 2019, and we’re very happy to have this great concert series – which has been running since 2003 – back again.
‘meticulous and unstoppable…spirited and spectacular’
– New York Times
‘The Soweto Gospel Choir is truly inspirational, but that’s not the reason they deserve five stars. Those are simply for a flawless performance.’
– The Scotsman
‘You don’t have to be a believer to be inspired…’
– Sunday Herald
‘It is a journey that embraces the soul on a number of levels, both spiritual and emotional…’
– Johannesburg Citizen
‘This is a show overflowing with love, elation, heartache and triumph, and it is an absolute joy to watch.’
– Voice Magazine
Concert Information
When Tuesday, 12 November 2024
Where National Concert Hall, Dublin, Main Auditorium
Presented by Waltons New School of Music
Tickets €20 – €44 from nch.ie
10% Discount for Mailing List Subscribers • €18 – €39.60
20% Discount for New School Students • €16 – €35.20
(See Waltons World Masters • Student & Subscriber Discounts for more information.)
About the Group
The Soweto Gospel Choir is an awe-inspiring vocal ensemble, and their performances are an inspirational mixture of tribal, traditional and popular African and Western gospel. Earthy rhythms, rich harmonies, charismatic performances and energetic choreography combine to uplift the soul and express South Africa’s great hopes for the future. This year, they are presenting HOPE, which commemorates South Africa’s Freedom Movement with the songs that inspired the Rainbow Nation and harkens back to the American Civil Rights Movement with tributes to Billie Holiday, James Brown, Aretha Franklin and more. This is not only a spectacular show but an inspirational message for these uncertain times.
Critics agree that the Soweto Gospel Choir is not just for followers of gospel music. The Atlanta Journal Constitutionwrites, ‘Hearing the full choir harmonize sounded less like a couple of dozen people singing together and more like a pipe organ roaring to life.’ Of their concert at Carnegie Hall, the New York Times hailed their ‘cornucopia of remarkable voices: sharp, sweet, kindly, raspy and incantatory leads above a magnificently velvety blend.’
The Soweto Gospel Choir draws on the best talent from the many churches and communities in and around Soweto. Since they began touring internationally in early 2003, they have won three Grammy Awards and performed around the world to nightly standing ovations, sold-out houses and rave reviews. Their mission is to celebrate the unique power of African music and to share the joy of faith through that music with audiences around the world – and they succeed magnificently.