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Community Service:
The Choir is a frequent guest in churches throughout Northern California, and is a popular headliner at events benefiting community organizations and their clients. Community service partners have included:
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Alzheimer’s Association
Canon Kip Episcopal Homeless Shelter
Harrison House
Center for Elder’s Independence
The 100 Club
Oakland Firefighters’ Random Acts
Bread and Roses
San Quentin Prison
A Season for Non-Violence
Jelani House
Seneca House
Delancey Street
Clausson House
Performance History
Their exquisite vocal harmonies and stirring gospel repertoire have led to performances with:
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Tramaine Hawkins
Take 6
The Clark Sisters
Walter Hawkins
Timothy Wright
The Dixie Hummingbirds
Clarence Fountain & The Five Blind Boys of Alabama
Linda Ronstadt
Peter Gabriel
Jon Hendricks
Pharaoh Sanders
Stan Getz
John Denver
Marlena Shaw
Jeffrey Osborne
Festivals
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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Blues Festival
Russian River Blues Festival
San Francisco Jazz Festival
Oakland’s Festival at the Lake
40th Annual Atlanta Arts Festival
1997 International Music Festival - Sydney Australia
Performance Highlights
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Concert of Sacred Music with the Duke Ellington Orchestra
Oakland Coliseum Concert for Nelson Mandela
1994 Grace Cathedral Mass and sermon by South Africa’s Bishop Tutu.
State of the World Forum, performing for Mikhail Gorbachev and many other global peace workers
1997 Australia Tour
1998 World Games Opening Festivities - Portland, Oregon
2000 Israel Tour
Awards
- 2003 First Annual Sweet's Historic Ballroom Musical Soul of Oakland Award
2003 California Music Awards Special Recognition for Excellence in the Performance of Gospel Music and the Preservation of its Heritage
2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997 Gospel Academy Award for “Best Community Choir of the Year"
2003, 1997 Gospel Academy Award to Terrance Kelly for “Outstanding Director of the Yearâ€
2001 Bay Area Religious Announcers’ Guild Certificate of Appreciation
1998 Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Arts Organization of the Year Award
1997 Gold Award for promotion of cultural understanding through music, International Music Festival
1995 Emmy to Terrance Kelly for his choral arrangement of the Choir’s KGO-TV public service announcement
In 1989 and 1990, the Choir received awards for “Best Performance of the Evening†at the Gospel Academy Awards
The Choir has also received awards and recognition from city, state and federal agencies, the J.C.Penney Awards Program and the Clorox Foundation Community Commitment Awards Program
Recordings
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Great Day — A Cappella Negro Spirituals, recorded in 2002 at Fantasy Studios and Emeryville Recording Company
Rejoice! Christmas With The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, recorded in 1999 at Fantasy Studios and Emeryville Recording Company
We’ve Come a Mighty Long Way, recorded live at First Congregational Church of Oakland in 1995
The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir—Live! recorded at Calvin Simmons Theatre in 1989
The Choir has performed on three Grammy Award-winning albums: Linda Ronstadt’s Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, Hammer’s Too Legit To Quit, and Tramaine Hawkins’ Tramaine—Live.
The Choir has also recorded with the renowned Kronos Quartet, and in June, 2001, with Carlos Santana
The Choir hascontributed tracks to compilation albums benefitting community service organizations, such as the Bread & Roses Tribute to Mimi Farina and Radio Station KAT 103’s (Nebraska) Christmas for the Children
Television and Film
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CBS-TV’s Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt
KGO-TV’s 1994 Holiday Season Special and Profiles in Excellence
KPIX-TV’s Sunday by the Bay and After Dark
KRON-TV’s For People Who Care Awards and Christmas holiday shows
Black Film Makers Hall of Fame
KTVU-TV’s Mornings on Two
The Choir is the subject of Skip Brown’s award-winning documentary film, This is Our Story, This is Our Song, which has been broadcast on KGO-TV and KQED-TV
Soundtrack of Emmy Award-winning children’s video, The Nutty Nutcracker, which was released on video and broadcast in late 1999
2001 the Choir’s performance at the California Music Awards with rising R&B star, Ledisi, was broadcast on network television
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