Photo by Nikki Boertman // Buy this photo
Members of the Greater Community Temple C.O.G.I.C. Voices choir celebrate their overall win with choir director Zack Hayslett, center kneeling, at the "How Sweet the Sound" competition Monday evening at the FedExForum.
The spiritual and musical energy Monday night at the FedExForum pulled heaven and earth just a bit closer together.
The “How Sweet the Sound” gospel choir competition was held in Memphis for the third year to showcase some of the Mid-South’s best sacred singing. Eight choirs performed and the Greater Community Temple C.O.G.I.C. Voices won the right to go to Detroit Nov. 7 and compete in the finals against 10 other groups from around the country.
Photo by Nikki Boertman
Members of the Greater Community Temple C.O.G.I.C. Voices choir celebrate their overall win with choir director Zack Hayslett, center kneeling, at the "How Sweet the Sound" competition Monday evening at the FedExForum.
Photo by Nikki Boertman
Choir director Zack Hayslett leads members of Greater Community Temple C.O.G.I.C. Voices choir as they compete in the "How Sweet the Sound" competition Monday evening at the FedExForum.
Last week, choir leader Zack Hayslett said the focus during the amped-up rehearsal schedule was vocal technique. He also said he might work in some moves for the choir if the sound was solid.
It worked.
Those vocals and moves were so riveting that the judges awarded the church $10,000 for having the best large choir and being the evening’s overall winner. And the performance of “My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord” was so uplifting that the crowd of 6,457 selected Greater Community as audience favorite in the Verizon Wireless V CAST balloting — worth another $5,000.
There was another winner Monday night.
The Good Hope Sanctuary Choir from Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Stanton, Tenn., received $10,000 as best small voice choir. The 34-member group, led by Jeffrey Vaulx, brought the crowd to its feet early in its performance of “When the Saints Go to Worship.”
“How Sweet the Sound” began two years ago when the competition was held only in Memphis. It did well enough that the event expanded last year to semifinal competitions in 11 cities nationwide. This year, it is again taking the best choirs from 11 cities. The winner in the Detroit finals gets bragging rights and as much as $25,000 in cash and prizes.
Greater Community Temple senior pastor Brandon B. Porter and choir director Hayslett were cheered by the singers after the event as they gathered for photos. “All the hard work paid off,” Hayslett said. “Now we’re ready to go to Detroit.”
The national competition is still a month off, which leaves time for many rehearsals. “I don’t want to get relaxed,” Hayslett said.
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Comments » 3
CAReader1 writes:
Fantastic! Congratulations and keep that praise flowing!
kimmie2694 writes:
An unbelieveable performance by Greater Community Choir. O'Landa Draper must be smiling in Heaven. God Bless the choir on their trip to Detroit.
Essence writes:
Wonderful Jesus!
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