AUBURN - There is a universal quality that allows music to transcend many boundaries.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
The Institute de Gospel Barcelona choir sings at the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church on Monday. The choir of 20 students from Spain sang a variety of music including gospel, inspirational music, soft rock and even some 1950s music.
The Institute de Gospel Barcelona choir sings at the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church on Monday. The choir of 20 students from Spain sang a variety of music including gospel, inspirational music, soft rock and even some 1950s music.
From love to lament to triumph, music is a unique language all its own that expresses emotion on a deep, visceral level through its tones and melodies, conveying its stories and emotions even in a different tongue.
The evening of Monday, July 20, 20 young singers from Barcelona, Spain proved just how true this was when they performed in their native language at Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church.
The singers are part of the Institute de Gospel Barcelona, which was visiting Auburn for a unique reason.
Aside from being singers, the members of the group brought the connection even closer to home by performing works based on the life and deeds of one of Auburn's best-known residents, Harriet Tubman.
It was only fitting the group came to perform at the church, which was the church in which Tubman worshipped.
It was through an odd series of coincidences and chance meetings that the group was inspired to sing
gospel music, which very much has its roots in the spirituals and hymns sung by black slaves - songs Tubman would have been very familiar with.
Oscar Alberdi, director of the choir, said through his translator that in 2000, he found himself on the streets of Barcelona with nothing.
While he was walking down the street, he heard music that caught his ear. He came to discover that this musical form was gospel and he was moved by its ability to lift the spirits of those who heard it, including him. The music gave him hope and inspired him to form the choir to bring that same message of hope to others.
After creating the group, which became an officially government-sanctioned organization in 2001, Alberdi heard about Tubman and her efforts to free enslaved people and he was touched by her actions and her life, which truly embodied the uplifting and hope-inspiring ideals of gospel music.
Alberdi decided to write songs based on Tubman and her life, which he and the group have performed in Barcelona and other cities in Europe.
But the group always dreamed of coming to America - and even more specifically to the home of Tubman, someone who seemed to be a truly Christ-like figure, a saint for her actions, Alberdi said.
It was through another series of connections that the group finally made its way to Auburn. Morgan Grim spent two years at Virginia Tech studying and collecting the oral history traditions of black history.
It was while she was studying abroad in Barcelona that she has the opportunity to meet Alberdi and the two began to discuss the traditions and stories of black culture.
“Gospel music,” Grim said, “is music that is sung in times of repression. I was amazed by the way they (the choir) took and adapted these musical roots. It is really amazing what they do.”
Grim got in touch with Christine Carter, tour coordinator of the Harriet Tubman Home, and her husband, the Rev. Paul Carter, and began making arrangements to bring the group to Auburn to visit Tubman's home and to perform its music.
“We thought it was great what they were doing and we really wanted to have them here with us,” Christine said. “We were really happy and really overwhelmed to find out that they were doing this kind of music and that they were doing these songs about Harriet Tubman, it is really beautiful.”
The group's music, which is traditional gospel infused with the rhythms and guitar work of Spanish music, conveyed the story of Tubman's life and her work to free slaves and her unwavering faith and hope even against an institution as big and oppressive as slavery.
Alberdi said that it is very powerful music and a very powerful story, both of which, he believes, have the power to free other people from whatever form of oppression they may be facing in their own lives.
Capping off the group's two-day visit to Auburn, it spent Tuesday afternoon at Tubman's home, an experience which brought tears to the eyes of all gathered and proved to be a very meaningful and spiritual experience for all those gathered there.
Alberdi said that Tubman is a true inspiration, a person who seems saintly to Alberdi and his group, and they were happy to be able to visit her home.
On the Net
For an audio slideshow of Institute de Gospel Barcelona singers' visit to auburn, visit auburnpub.com/
slideshows
The evening of Monday, July 20, 20 young singers from Barcelona, Spain proved just how true this was when they performed in their native language at Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church.
The singers are part of the Institute de Gospel Barcelona, which was visiting Auburn for a unique reason.
Aside from being singers, the members of the group brought the connection even closer to home by performing works based on the life and deeds of one of Auburn's best-known residents, Harriet Tubman.
It was only fitting the group came to perform at the church, which was the church in which Tubman worshipped.
It was through an odd series of coincidences and chance meetings that the group was inspired to sing
gospel music, which very much has its roots in the spirituals and hymns sung by black slaves - songs Tubman would have been very familiar with.
Oscar Alberdi, director of the choir, said through his translator that in 2000, he found himself on the streets of Barcelona with nothing.
While he was walking down the street, he heard music that caught his ear. He came to discover that this musical form was gospel and he was moved by its ability to lift the spirits of those who heard it, including him. The music gave him hope and inspired him to form the choir to bring that same message of hope to others.
After creating the group, which became an officially government-sanctioned organization in 2001, Alberdi heard about Tubman and her efforts to free enslaved people and he was touched by her actions and her life, which truly embodied the uplifting and hope-inspiring ideals of gospel music.
Alberdi decided to write songs based on Tubman and her life, which he and the group have performed in Barcelona and other cities in Europe.
But the group always dreamed of coming to America - and even more specifically to the home of Tubman, someone who seemed to be a truly Christ-like figure, a saint for her actions, Alberdi said.
It was through another series of connections that the group finally made its way to Auburn. Morgan Grim spent two years at Virginia Tech studying and collecting the oral history traditions of black history.
It was while she was studying abroad in Barcelona that she has the opportunity to meet Alberdi and the two began to discuss the traditions and stories of black culture.
“Gospel music,” Grim said, “is music that is sung in times of repression. I was amazed by the way they (the choir) took and adapted these musical roots. It is really amazing what they do.”
Grim got in touch with Christine Carter, tour coordinator of the Harriet Tubman Home, and her husband, the Rev. Paul Carter, and began making arrangements to bring the group to Auburn to visit Tubman's home and to perform its music.
“We thought it was great what they were doing and we really wanted to have them here with us,” Christine said. “We were really happy and really overwhelmed to find out that they were doing this kind of music and that they were doing these songs about Harriet Tubman, it is really beautiful.”
The group's music, which is traditional gospel infused with the rhythms and guitar work of Spanish music, conveyed the story of Tubman's life and her work to free slaves and her unwavering faith and hope even against an institution as big and oppressive as slavery.
Alberdi said that it is very powerful music and a very powerful story, both of which, he believes, have the power to free other people from whatever form of oppression they may be facing in their own lives.
Capping off the group's two-day visit to Auburn, it spent Tuesday afternoon at Tubman's home, an experience which brought tears to the eyes of all gathered and proved to be a very meaningful and spiritual experience for all those gathered there.
Alberdi said that Tubman is a true inspiration, a person who seems saintly to Alberdi and his group, and they were happy to be able to visit her home.
On the Net
For an audio slideshow of Institute de Gospel Barcelona singers' visit to auburn, visit auburnpub.com/
slideshows
Citizen
Hot Jobs
Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are No comments posted.