A lively group with colorful costumes, innovative dances and powerful voices will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at Memorial Hall.
The Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa performs in six of its native country’s 11 official languages but also incorporates meaningful songs from both reggae and pop culture in its show.
Harry Kaplowitz, the marketing manager for the Carolina Performing Arts, said the performance was intentionally booked to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
“The Soweto region was plagued with a lot of racial strife during apartheid, and this group uses music to promote racial equality,” Kaplowitz said.
The performers also emphasize King’s achievements in civil rights through their music, he said.
The performance relates to the cultural history of Soweto. In 1976, groups of students protesting for a better education were silenced violently by police force, an event commonly referred to as the youth uprising and now known as Youth Day.
To reflect the advances in Soweto since the uprising, the group focuses on spirituals, a form of music originally created by the enslaved African population in America. The Soweto Gospel uses the spirituals to reflect the power they have achieved since the songs were first created.
Founded in November 2002, the choir is a relatively new group that draws its 26 touring members from churches around Soweto.
The group has won multiple Grammy awards and has performed around the world. It is praised for its entertaining combination of rich harmonies, energetic dancing and vibrant costumes.
