Gospel Meets Symphony Celebrates 15 Years February 23
15th Anniversary Celebration reunites Wilkins and Wise and pays tribute to Balter

Gospel Meets Symphony celebrates its 15th Anniversary on Saturday, February 23rd at E.J. Thomas Hall on the campus of The University of Akron at 7:30 p.m. Akron Symphony Music Director, Christopher Wilkins, will share the podium with returning guest chorus master and 2007 audience favorite Dr. Raymond Wise as the two conduct the Akron Symphony Orchestra and a 150-voice choir in an uplifting program of spirited gospel works.

The 15th Anniversary Concert will look back at years past with a loving tribute to former Akron Symphony Music Director, the late Alan Balter, who co-founded Gospel Meets Symphony in 1994 and conducted the first five concerts. Native Akron gospel group Divine Hope will also be featured during the concert.

The Gospel Meets Symphony 15th Anniversary concert is chaired by Virginia Robinson.

15 Years Of Gospel Meets Symphony
Gospel Meets Symphony began in 1992 when the Akron Symphony received a challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to commission and record three works by African-American composers. The Knight Foundation answered, followed quickly by the GAR Foundation with sizeable donations toward the project. The balance was made up when the Minority Outreach Committee, led by Ann Lane Gates and the then Akron Symphony Music Director, Alan Balter, decided to develop a benefit concert that would blend gospel choral music with that of a symphonic orchestra. Cleo Myricks led a team of church choir directors to prepare the Akron Symphony’s first Gospel Choir and the event was chaired by community leader Ann Lane Gates.

On January 29, 1994, the first Gospel Meets Symphony concert was held at the Akron Civic Theatre to a sold-out house. The success of the event prompted the ASO to make it an annual event. Proceeds from the first two Gospel Meets Symphony concerts gave the ASO the funding needed to finish the recording project and in 1995, under the Telarc label, “American Voices” was released. In 2000, Gospel Meets Symphony was honored with the prestigious Governor’s Award for the Arts. In addition, Gospel Meets Symphony, has been recognized twice locally by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Coming Together project and won the Akron Area Arts Alive Award for Arts Outreach in 2001. Now in its Fifteenth Year, Gospel Meets Symphony has endured to remain an indelible hallmark of the Akron Symphony Orchestra’s performance season and has become one of the region’s most cherished cultural events.

Alan Balter’s Musical Legacy
Alan Balter became Music Director of the Akron Symphony Orchestra in 1983. Having played in the orchestra as principal clarinetist during the 1966-67 season, Balter was very familiar with the organization and its outgoing Music Director, Louis Lane. After an “audition” concert on February 15, 1983, the 37 year old Balter was unanimously chosen to lead the Akron Symphony Orchestra. Known simply as “Alan” to his colleagues in the orchestra, Balter’s down to earth style and charm won over the hearts of Akron audiences. His desire to reach out to various segments of the population led to the formation of the Minority Outreach Committee, the founding of the Gospel Meets Symphony concert, and a recording of new works composed by three African-American composers. His fifteen year tenure as Music Director came to an abrupt end with his unexpected death in 1998.

The Return Of Dr. Raymond Wise
No one who witnessed last year’s Gospel Meets Symphony concert can forget Dr. Raymond Wise. His energy, passion, and musicianship endeared him to the Akron community; and the combined leadership of Wise and Wilkins began an exciting new chapter in Gospel Meets Symphony history.

The Reverend Raymond Wise, Ph.D. was designated as Chorus Master for Gospel Meets Symphony in 2007. Dr. Wise is well-known for his voice performance, choral direction, compositions and educational initiatives, especially in the study and performance of gospel music. He began his musical career at the age of three, singing gospel music with his family, “The Wise Singers.” He went to Denison University where he reorganized the Black Student Union Choir and started the Black Student Union Ensemble and Dance Company, earning a B.F.A. in Music. He then studied Opera, Art and German at the Institute for European Studies in Vienna, as well as African-American History, Music and Dance at San Francisco State University. Dr. Wise earned his Masters and Doctorate in Music Education at The Ohio State University.

During his distinguished career, Dr. Wise has performed nationally and abroad as a teenager with the Paul Laurence Dunbar Chamber Singers, under the direction of Hugh Carey. As an adult he performed counter tenor in works including Handel’s Messiah and Leslie Burrs’ work Declaration of Joy, as well as having performed the role of Marcus in the Opera Columbus premiere of Susan Kander’s opera Somebody’s Children. He recently served as guest soloist and composer with the Nashville Symphony. Dr. Wise has appeared on radio and television, recorded sixteen albums, and toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia as a singer, dancer, pianist, composer, choral director, lecturer and teacher.

Dr. Wise has directed more than thirty choirs during his career and prepared choirs to perform with national recording artists including Diana Ross, Yolanda Adams, Kenny Rogers, Tramaine Hawkins and Wintley Phipps, among others. As a composer, Dr. Wise has penned more than 500 compositions that have been performed and recorded by national and international recording artists. Some of his notable works include Afro-American Suite written for bass-baritone and chorus; musical scores for more than twenty original musical theater productions including Dwight Collins’ Dark Symphony; and the musical score for the children’s opera Barefoot which was narrated by Maya Angelou and performed by The Children’s Theater Company of Winston-Salem and Winston-Salem State University.

Dr. Wise founded Raise Productions, a gospel music production company, in Columbus, Ohio in 1985. Several of the Raise groups enjoy national reputations, having recorded on both the Raise Record label as well as other national gospel record labels. In 1989, Raise established The Center for the Gospel Arts to provide educational training for gospel artists and the community. Dr. Wise has also developed and implemented courses in African-American Gospel Music and Spirituals at several Ohio universities. He considers his most important commitment to be “Raising the Word of God Higher” and to this end accepted the call to ministry in 1989. Dr. Wise presently serves as an Associate Minister at Faith Ministries Interdenominational Church.

Divine Hope
Divine Hope is a music ministry that uses gospel music to spread a message of uncompromising hope. The ensemble’s music features various styles including traditional, contemporary and jazz inflected gospel. Its rich harmonies, dynamic vocals, and impeccable instrumental accompaniment led to Divine Hope winning the National New Artist search sponsored by the 700 Club and StarSong Records.

Divine Hope has released four albums and toured extensively throughout the United States and abroad in their desire to bring people in touch with the life-changing message of hope found in Jesus Christ. Currently, they are touring with PAUL, A Musical Journey.

Headquartered at the Reverend Ronald Fowler’s Arlington Church of God, Divine Hope’s committed members include Charles Myricks, Jr., Leslie Parker Barnes, Valorie Brinson, Carla Davis, John Christopher Davis, Sam Gordon, Victor Head, Albert Parker, Robin Parker, Theodis Sheppard, Alan Swoope, Clint Walton and Anthony Watters.

Support
Sponsors for Gospel Meets Symphony 2008 are the Akron Beacon Journal and the FirstMerit Foundation. A post concert reception for GMS patrons is being sponsored by Summa Health System. WAKR 1590 AM is the concert’s Media Sponsor and LifeBanc is the Percussion Sponsor. The concert is also supported by the Ohio Arts Council and The University of Akron to encourage educational and cultural growth, excellence, and enrichment.

Tickets On Sale Now
A variety of good seats are still available for $20, $30, or $40, but tickets for Gospel Meets Symphony traditionally sell out quickly. Special Patron tickets for $70 entitle holders to a post-concert reception, preferred concert seating, free valet parking, and a listing in the program. Regular tickets are available through Ticketmaster outlets and the E.J. Thomas ticket office at 330-972-7570. Patron tickets are only available through the Akron Symphony office at 330-535-8131. Group rates of 25% off for groups of 10 or more are available, too, as well as $1 off individual tickets for those who bring their church bulletin to purchase their tickets. Student and senior discounts are also available.

Mark Your Calendars
Gospel Meets Symphony: 15th Anniversary Concert
Saturday, February 23, 2008
E.J. Thomas Hall at The University of Akron, 7:30 p.m.
Featuring the Akron Symphony Orchestra and Akron Symphony Gospel Choir
Christopher Wilkins, conductor
Rev. Raymond Wise, Ph.D., chorus master; Divine Hope, guest artists
SINGLE TICKETS: $20-$40 (330-972-7570).
PATRON TICKETS: $70 (330-535-8131).

Artist biographies and photos are available in digital format by visiting the Akron Symphony Press Room at www.AkronSymphony.org. This online resource offers journalists and the public access to the latest information about the Akron Symphony, including archived news releases, downloadable high-resolution photos and media kit materials.

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