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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Come hear the Brahms Requiem, one of the most popular choral masterpieces of all time, renowned for its lyricism, its powerful message, and its unparalleled strength and beauty. This magnificent work will be performed by the 80-voice Winnipeg SummerChör on Friday Aug. 24th at 7:30 pm in the outstanding acoustic of historic Knox United Church, 400 Edmonton St. The Choir will be will be joined by a full orchestra comprised of Winnipeg’s top community musicians. Soloist are Sarah Jo Kirsch, soprano and Matthew Pauls, baritone. Conducted by Neil Weisensel, Nancy Gomes is the Assistant Conductor. The concert is approximately 75 minutes long. Wheelchair accessible – call 204-881-3322 for details.

SummerChör Winnipeg is an initiative of  World Village Music, a Winnipeg arts company founded by the husband-and-wife team of Neil Weisensel and Rachel Landrecht, Co-Directors of the popular World Village Gospel Choir.

Tickets are $15 at the door, doors open at 7 p.m.

Advance tickets (with a discount) are available online at: http://worldvillagemusic.ca/product/brahmsrequiem/

Here’s a video of the piece. Imaging how amazing it’s going to sound in person!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIw2DUM-3kU

Related show

• Artist:
  SummerChor Choir and Orchestra
• Date:
  08/24/18
• Time:
  7:30pm
• Venue:
  Knox United Church
• City:
  Winnipeg , Manitoba
• Address:
  400 Edmonton Street
• Venue phone:
  (204) 942-4579
• Country:
  Canada
• Admission:
  $15
• Age restrictions:
  All Ages
• Notes:
  Come hear the Brahms Requiem, one of the most popular choral masterpieces of all time, renowned for its lyricism, powerful message, and unparalleled strength and beauty. Come This magnificent work will be performed by the 80-voice Winnipeg SummerChör on Friday Aug. 24TH at 7:30 pm in the outstanding acoustic of historic Knox United Church, 400 Edmonton St. The Choir will be will be joined by a full orchestra comprised of Winnipeg’s top community musicians. Soloist are Sarah Jo Kirsch, soprano and Matthew Pauls, baritone. Conducted by Neil Weisensel, Nancy Gomes is the Assistant Conductor. The concert is approximately 75 minutes long. Wheelchair accessible – call 204-881-3322 for details.

Join the 60+ voices of World Village Gospel Choir for an exciting and dynamic concert featuring music of Harry Belafonte, the South African Zulu song Ukuthula (see video below), a southern-style a cappella spiritual as taught by New Zealand gospel guru Tony Backhouse,  60’s anthem Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine, from the rock opera Hair, plus other great tunes.

The concert takes place at 3 p.m. on Saturday April 28th 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 $3 on advance tickets for only $12, available on our website.

Ticket Link: http://worldvillagemusic.ca/product/letthesunshine/

The concert will be approximately 70 minutes in length. Knox Church is wheelchair-accessible, use the 406 Edmonton St. entrance.

Videos below:

Come join World Village Gospel Choir for crowd and choir favourites at our upcoming concert, WVGC Greatest Hits! As we enter our 6th season, we’re taking the time to look back on all the great music we’ve learned, and we’ve put some of our faves together in one concert. The concert starts at 2 pm on Saturday November 25th at Knox United Church, 400 Edmonton St. Tickets are $15 at the door, kids 12 and under free. Save $3 by clicking the link below for an online ticket discount. We are so looking forward to performing for you! Scroll down form some videos of past performances.

http://worldvillagemusic.ca/product/wvgcgreatesthits/

Related show

• Artist:
  SummerChor Choir and Orchestra
• Date:
  08/25/17
• Time:
  7:30pm
• Venue:
  Knox United Church
• City:
  Winnipeg , Manitoba
• Address:
  400 Edmonton Street
• Venue phone:
  (204) 942-4579
• Country:
  Canada
• Admission:
  $15
• Age restrictions:
  All Ages
• Box office:
  204-284-3684
• Notes:
  SummerChör Winnipeg presents Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, with SummerChör Choir and Orchestra, plus soloists Rachel Landrecht, Rose van der Hooft, Jan van der Hooft, and Matthew Pauls.

• Artist:
  Neil Weisensel
• Date:
  08/25/17
• Time:
  7:30pm
• Venue:
  Knox United Church
• City:
  Winnipeg , Manitoba
• Address:
  400 Edmonton Street
• Venue phone:
  (204) 942-4579
• Country:
  Canada
• Admission:
  $15
• Age restrictions:
  All Ages
• Box office:
  204-284-3684
• Notes:
  SummerChör Winnipeg presents Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, with SummerChör Choir and Orchestra, plus soloists Rachel Landrecht, Rose van der Hooft, Jan van der Hooft, and Matthew Pauls.

Came across this young Brit earlier today, he’s pretty crazy talented. He’s covering one of the tunes we’re covering, Stevie Wonder’s I Wish. Mind you, our version is for piano, organ and choir, he’s gone the big band route. I thought you’d enjoy his take on this timeless classic.

Save $3 on tickets to our upcoming concert, Change the World (one song at a time) here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l65fctn

This is pretty cool – only last year, someone posted this recording of Stevie Wonder’s vocals, isolated from the rest of the band, meaning this is what you heard in the recording booth when Stevie recorded this song in 1976.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYE3xT91rrY

We have a group of soloists rocking the lead vocals to this song at our April 22nd concert at Knox church downtown. Here’s the link that lets you save $3. We are counting down the days now! http://preview.tinyurl.com/l65fctn