Gospel Fest fills Ohio Union with Soulful Praise
By Angelique Latham
Choir Director Herb Smith II, AAV President Zach Burton, Attiyya Toure, David Moore, and the AAV Choir perform during Gospel Fest of the 41st African American Heritage Festival on March 24th in The Archie Griffin Ballroom of the Union, Columbus, OH.
The earthly heaven-like but robust voices of the singers pierced through one’s body, filling the inside with a soulful rhythm and beat that feet found tempting to dance to.
As the choir raised and lowered their voices, drifted into their vocal variations one was sent in an array of emotions. For some it was another church service or a remembrance of a childhood within one and others it was an introduction to the African American worship experience.
It was no coincidence that the Archie Griffin Ballroom East was set up in a church fashion. The seats were synchronized in a way that pews are, facing the front. As they would face a preacher, placed in front of the audience on a Sunday morning service. The Gospel Fest symbolized the harmonized spiritual souls of black folk.
Taylor Lonas, a graduating senior who is a co-chair for the Gospel Fest of the African American Heritage Festival said her and her co-chair, Mia Murray planned the event from the ground up.
“We have invited choirs, praise dancers, a step team and a headliner to share his vocal performance with the audience as well,” Lonas said.
Similarly to any event planning, they faced obstacles along the way.
“One of the major challenges we've had to face was working with limited time and when sending out contracts to the various artists we've had to receive them all in a timely manner.” Lonas said.
In addition to this, they faced an issue of having too many options.
“We had a surplus of amazing choirs and praise dancers audition to be apart of this years festival, and as the event only runs for two hours we did have to choose a limited number of people,” Lonas said.
Despite these challenges they were able to overcome them and pull together the purpose of the event in relations to the Heritage Fest.
“Every year the African American Heritage Festival unites the students of color with the celebration of our history and culture but more specifically the Gospel Fest unites us through song, worship and dance.” Lonas said.
Indeed there were performances that held their own distinctive characteristics and performers varied in age, gender and personalities. But one performance recognized by students on campus would be the vocal performance of the African American Voices Choir.
Zach Burton, who is a senior studying communications analysis and practice and president of the AAV Choir said Gospel Fest is one of their signature events.
“Our director is really close to the Columbus community and we make sure that we are scheduled to perform every year at the Gospel Fest,” Burton said.
As president of AAV, Burton’s main job is preparing the choir to rock the house and bring the spirit in, anyway they can.
The African American Voices Choir at Ohio State is very significant and historic in its own light, with it being one of the few college gospel choirs of its size in the Midwest.
“This is something we take to heart and when you look upon history, the civil rights movement or just black history, gospel music is prominent,” Burton said.
Burton feels that the AAV Choir was chosen because of its special connection.
“Why would you not include your own choir?” Burton said.
The songs within AAV’s performance were “Awesome God” and “God is Worthy to Be Praised”. This songs were meant to uplift people's souls and inform them that someone is always looking out for them, which ties into the overall theme of the Heritage Fest.
The Gospel Fest has and will continue to uplift feet, hands, souls and spirits. All while lifting one’s name on high.