Back in 2014, WVGC Co-Directors Neil Weisensel and Rachel Landrecht got an email they thought was a prank. Someone was asking for a choir from Winnipeg to back up Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Heart at the MTS Centre on June 21st of that year. After checking the calendar and verifying that Heart was indeed playing intern on that date, they responded to the email. What happened next was nothing short of magical. Heart’s music staff sent a score and a practice track, and a few short weeks later the 8 lucky singers who had been selected appeared onstage with the legendary group, singing backup vocals for Led Zeppelin’s epic Stairway to Heaven. The drummer for the song, Jason Bonham, was the son of Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham, who died tragically at age 32. Fast forward 5 years, and Landrecht and Weisensel decided to form a programme around the theme Songs of Heaven and Earth, with Stairway to Heaven as the anchor. The 70 voices of World Village Gospel Choir are joined by a top-notch band featuring Gerry Atwell on piano and B3 organ, Jaime Carrasco on drums, Daniel Koulack on bass and banjo, Michael Cole on guitar and vocals, and Lianne Fournier on guitar and vocals. Lianne will present her song The Road, featuring lyrics by the late Honey Hill; the choir presents 2 African songs, Ipharadisi in Zulu (we will one day join our ancestors in heaven) and a new song by local Rev. Sophonie Baatwenga in the Kirundi language called Jesu, Munyembabazi (Jesus, you have done miracles for us); the bluegrass classic I’ll Fly Away; the a cappella spiritual Wail ’till I get on my Robe; the slow burning gospel ballad Melodies from Heaven by Kirk Franklin, plus an uptempo audience participation of When the Saints Go Marching In.
We invite our audience members to bring photos of loved ones who have passed on, we will have a Table of Remembrance dedicated to their memory.
The concert takes place at 3 p.m. on Saturday May 11th at Knox United Church, 400 Edmonton St. Tickets are available at the door for $15 (kids 12 and under free), doors open at 2:30. Save on advance tickets for only $12.50, available on our website.
http://worldvillagemusic.ca/product/stairwaytoheaven/
The concert will be approximately 70 minutes in length. Knox Church is wheelchair-accessible, use the 406 Edmonton St. entrance. Call 204-881-3322 for details.
For interviews, contact Neil at [email protected]
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