Oakwood University Aeolians Win Gold in the World Choir Games
by Adventist News Network
The Oakwood University elite choir, the Aeolians, took home three awards from the world’s largest choir completion last week. At the Seventh World Choir Games, the Aeolians won the Championship Trophy in the “Spiritual” category, besting 15 other choirs for the honor.
“The Aeolians … lifted our souls and the roof at the Cincinnati Masonic Center!” reported an official Twitter release from the City of Cincinnati. The 42-member group also won one of several gold medals in two other categories: “Music of Religions” and “Musica Contemporanea.” The international event was held in Cincinnati July 4 to 14. The Aeolians were the only Adventist group in the event.
“The Aeolians rose to the challenge and on their debut at the World Choir Games … and made a great impact,” said their director Jason Max Ferdinand. Earlier in the summer break from school, the group practiced new songs for the competition individually. They later held group rehearsals remotely using Google Plus. All 42 members met for a final rehearsal at the university campus the weekend before the competition.
The World Choir Games, sponsored by the Interkultur Foundation in Germany, is the world’s largest choral competition and is held every two years. This year, more than 15,000 Choristers in 362 choirs competed in 23 musical categories. Interkultur’s website says the goal of the event is to bring “people of all nations, cultures and ideologies together in peaceful competitions and songs.” The next World Choir Games will be held in Riga, Latvia, in 2014.
Congrats OU! "Got da hump!"
Some months ago, when OU won the basketball tourney, there was a somewhat spirited discussion about SDA university participation in competitive athletics. I'm wondering if users of this forum find this sort of competition to be in a similar vein, or if this falls in the "ok" category…
A few years ago Oakwood won a college academic quiz competition and recently placed second in that same competition of knowledge.
Total development for the purpose of service is what Oakwood University is all about.
The Aeolians have repeatedly demonstrated that they are certainly among the world’s best choirs.
This should, of course, come as no surprise (whatsoever). The glory goes to God!
(If you have the opportunity to hear or invite them, you must do so!)
Longtime Aeolian supporter. Proud to see them do well!
I question the wisdom of competitions of this sort. It's one thing to go on tour for the purpose of singing praises to God, and trying to win souls for the kingdom. But the element of competition can skew the whole picture. One can strive to excel (as is commanded in Scripture) without competing to see who its better or best.
Have you ever been the only person applying for a job? Or in school, competing with all your classmates for grades?
Life is competition. Where can you live where there is not competion? Even animals compete for available food and humans compete for both available food and space. Where did competition get a bad name? Adventism competes with all other religions to get recognition and acceptance.
Sports, and the kind of competition which heaps praise on the winners, often brings out the worst in human nature. Applying for a job is hardly the same as trying to prove who's the best musician or sports team.