UO Gospel Singers Defend Disney Title for Second Year in a Row
The University of Oregon football team aren't the only Ducks high in the rankings. Now, the UO Gospel Singers are being recognized as one of the many elite competitors that call Eugene home. On September 7 and 8 the UO Gospel Singers took part in the Disney Gospel Choir Fest and Disney Night of Joy in Orlando, Florida. The group, which is made up of current students, alumni and community members, is no stranger to the festival. Last year they took top honors as the best gospel group by a panel of judges.
The UO Gospel Singers spent their Saturday in Florida performing in front of judges — who included members of the gospel recording industry — and passersby while they sang, danced and played their way through a set lasting over ten minutes on a stage at the Epcot theme park."As a group, we're proud because we're putting the University of Oregon on the gospel map," said concert pianist Zack Poelwijk.
Poelwijk has been with the UO Gospel Singers since 2006 and up until 2009, was their full-time piano man. After graduating and moving to Portland, Mr. Poelwijk has remained active in the group, helping play piano at competitions and festivals like the Night of Joy.
"Gospel is the original American art form. It's a fusion of rock, jazz, R&B and hip-hop," says Poelwijk.After taking the top spot in the competition and performing in the 2010 Night of Joy, the group became determined to repeat as champions. Director Andiel Brown, a former University of Oregon football player, oversaw singers and bandmates as rehearsals started on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in mid-July. "It was really tough. In the summer everyone has a different schedule, or they're not in Eugene like they are during the school year. We had a few people who had schedule conflicts," said Brown.
Although gospel is Christian music, Brown believes that people of all different faiths can enjoy the group's music."You don't need to be Christian to enjoy good music. It has a powerful, uplifting message that is universal," said Brown. The group itself is made up of several different ethnicity groups and faiths, perhaps a stark contrast to the expectations of attendees in Florida.
"It breaks down stereotypes. It breaks down barriers when people see that [gospel is] done well by those who are unexpected," Brown said. In front of the judges, the group's initial performance was scored on several factors including appearance, musicality, blend and showmanship. In a winner-take-all scenario, the group beat out two other groups by winning the judges over.
After beating the other choirs on Saturday afternoon, the UO Gospel Singers were given the ultimate prize — performing on stage in front of more than 3,500 fans on a massive stage that shut down the Magic Kingdom theme park at Disney World that evening. The ultimate cherry on top for Brown, Poelwijk and the rest of the gospel choir was being introduced by Smokie Norful, a critically acclaimed Grammy-winning gospel artist.
"He sang right before us last year then introduced us," said Brown. "But this year he wasn't even on the bill — he didn't even sing — and he introduced us. He just flew in, flew out to come introduce us. It was such an honor," said Brown. Brown said Norful had myriad praise for the UO Gospel Choir, "[Norful] said to the crowd, 'These are some of the most amazing young people and have an amazing sound. They're so on fire for the Lord.'" "He even pronounced 'Eugene, Oregon' right," joked Brown.
Norful even asked the group if they would come to Chicago to sing at his church if he sent for them, something that carried a lot of weight for both Poelwijk and the rest of the group. "I said 'Yes' before he even finished his sentence," said Brown. After Norful introduced them, the group ran through their set and were met with such tremendous fervor it flabbergasted competition-savy Poelwijk. "By the end of the set the entire crowd was putting up the [University of Oregon] O. We didn't even do it ourselves, they did it out of nowhere, unprompted. It was great," Poelwijk said.
Having all their hard work pay off — and a little help in recognition from the football team — meant more than just winning to the choir. The program at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance runs year-round in the form of classes during the school year and as practice during the summer months. To Brown, winning capped off a year of increased difficulty in choreography and song selection that tested the mettle of the group's members.
"We performed to the level we needed to. It instilled a sense of value to all the hard work we've put in and it's more than just a win. It's a life lesson. I think the students have come out of it more mature," Brown said.
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