New Orleans gospel

‘Shades of Praise’

Benefit concert

literacy support forrefugees and asylum seekers.

New Orleans GospelNew Orleans Gospel Experience the songs and sounds of

New Orleans gospelThe spectacular

‘Shades of Praise’An interracial Gospel Choir

perform a

Benefit concertfor

literacy support forrefugees and asylum seekers.Also performing will be Schola Cantorum

Ireland’s leading plainchant choir.

in the Church of Adam & Eve,(beside Dublin City Council Civic Offices)

Merchants Quay, Dublin 8

Wednesday 26th March 20037.30 p.m. – 10.00 p.m.

Shades of Praise promotes racial harmony in New Orleans byblending cultures and voices in a dynamic, interracial,contemporary praise and worship choir.

Proceeds will be used by NALA to developliteracy materials to be distributed free to refugeesand asylum seekers.

This an initiative by theNational Adult Literacy Agency 76 Lower Gardiner St., Dublin 1.

Booking:Tickets available from NALAon 01 8554332 or email literacy@nala.ie.Cost €20.00€5 unwaged

New Orleans gospel

‘Shades of Praise’

Benefit concert

literacy support forrefugees and asylum seekers.

New Orleans GospelNew Orleans Gospel Experience the songs and sounds of

New Orleans gospelThe spectacular

‘Shades of Praise’An interracial Gospel Choir

perform a

Benefit concertfor

literacy support forrefugees and asylum seekers.Also performing will be Schola Cantorum

Ireland’s leading plainchant choir.

in the Church of Adam & Eve,(beside Dublin City Council Civic Offices)

Merchants Quay, Dublin 8

Wednesday 26th March 20037.30 p.m. – 10.00 p.m.

Shades of Praise promotes racial harmony in New Orleans byblending cultures and voices in a dynamic, interracial,contemporary praise and worship choir.

Proceeds will be used by NALA to developliteracy materials to be distributed free to refugeesand asylum seekers.

This an initiative by theNational Adult Literacy Agency 76 Lower Gardiner St., Dublin 1.

Booking:Tickets available from NALAon 01 8554332 or email literacy@nala.ie.Cost €20.00€5 unwaged

Expanding their audience internationallyShades of Praise promote racial harmony in New Orleans by blendingcultures and voices in a dynamic, interracial, contemporary praise-and-worship choir. The group has sung in many different settings includingchurch, political events and festivals. Expanding their audienceinternationally, Shades of Praise will complete a concert tour of Ireland inMarch of 2003.

The Irish connectionIn recent years VEC Adult Literacy Schemes have been providing literacysupport for Ireland’s newest citizens with the support of the National AdultLiteracy Agency (NALA). This has occurred because asylum seekers,refugees and migrant workers are often excluded from educationalopportunities because of financial hardship or legal restrictions. Parallel tothis NALA has developed links with Dr Michael Cowan in his role asDirector of the Lindy Boggs National Centre for Community Literacy atLoyola University. As co-founder of Shades of Praise Dr Cowan felt there isa natural link between the interracial focus of the choir and NALA’s workwith asylum seekers and refugees. The result is this event, when the choircan proclaim their message of racial harmony to Ireland in support of thework of NALA.

Shades of Praise – some factsThe Shades of Praise comprises of 34 singers and 4 supporting musicians.Their performance will be in the genre of contemporary praise and worshipmusic in the African American tradition. The choir Director will introduceeach song and encourage audience participation. Most people do join infreely and increasingly as the concert progresses. A saying from the AfricanAmerican church tradition says it all: “You are not the audience, you are theperformance.”

A full programme for the nightAt this event the audience will also hear Schola Cantorum, Irelands leadingplainchant choir, perform their unique brand of music. This choir is residentat the Church of Adam & Eve’s and recently had a chart topping CD. Inaddition Michael Cowan, Niall Crowley, Director of the Equality Authorityand Minister of State Ms Síle de Valera TD will speak at the event. Thisinitiative is supported by Merchants Quay Ireland.

Sharing a dream of creating an interracial gospel choirIn October of 2000, Phillip Manuel, a well-known New Orleans jazz vocalist,and Michael Cowan of Loyola University brought a group of friends andassociates together. The objective of this group was to share their dream ofcreating an interracial gospel choir in New Orleans. As part of a commitmentto excellence, the choir engaged the services of an experienced and highlyregarded choirmaster. That person is Al Bemiss, music director atCornerstone United Methodist Church in New Orleans East.

A genuinely interracial organisation“Like the nation, New Orleans has white institutions and black ones inabundance. Very few of these institutions are genuinely interracialorganisations. Shades of Praise is proud to be in that number. In learningto sing together, to praise and give thanks, and to do so with enthusiasm,grace and style, we hope to bring some healing of racial wounds toourselves, to our city, and beyond” according to Michael Cowan.

This an initiative by the National Adult Literacy Agency 76 Lower Gardiner St., Dublin 1.Tel: 01 855 4332 or email literacy@nala.ie

Shades of Praise ‘‘Blending voices and cultures at the intersection of race,

faith and music’’Shades of PraiseThe New Orleans interracial gospel choir

Expanding their audience internationallyShades of Praise promote racial harmony in New Orleans by blendingcultures and voices in a dynamic, interracial, contemporary praise-and-worship choir. The group has sung in many different settings includingchurch, political events and festivals. Expanding their audienceinternationally, Shades of Praise will complete a concert tour of Ireland inMarch of 2003.

The Irish connectionIn recent years VEC Adult Literacy Schemes have been providing literacysupport for Ireland’s newest citizens with the support of the National AdultLiteracy Agency (NALA). This has occurred because asylum seekers,refugees and migrant workers are often excluded from educationalopportunities because of financial hardship or legal restrictions. Parallel tothis NALA has developed links with Dr Michael Cowan in his role asDirector of the Lindy Boggs National Centre for Community Literacy atLoyola University. As co-founder of Shades of Praise Dr Cowan felt there isa natural link between the interracial focus of the choir and NALA’s workwith asylum seekers and refugees. The result is this event, when the choircan proclaim their message of racial harmony to Ireland in support of thework of NALA.

Shades of Praise – some factsThe Shades of Praise comprises of 34 singers and 4 supporting musicians.Their performance will be in the genre of contemporary praise and worshipmusic in the African American tradition. The choir Director will introduceeach song and encourage audience participation. Most people do join infreely and increasingly as the concert progresses. A saying from the AfricanAmerican church tradition says it all: “You are not the audience, you are theperformance.”

A full programme for the nightAt this event the audience will also hear Schola Cantorum, Irelands leadingplainchant choir, perform their unique brand of music. This choir is residentat the Church of Adam & Eve’s and recently had a chart topping CD. Inaddition Michael Cowan, Niall Crowley, Director of the Equality Authorityand Minister of State Ms Síle de Valera TD will speak at the event. Thisinitiative is supported by Merchants Quay Ireland.

Sharing a dream of creating an interracial gospel choirIn October of 2000, Phillip Manuel, a well-known New Orleans jazz vocalist,and Michael Cowan of Loyola University brought a group of friends andassociates together. The objective of this group was to share their dream ofcreating an interracial gospel choir in New Orleans. As part of a commitmentto excellence, the choir engaged the services of an experienced and highlyregarded choirmaster. That person is Al Bemiss, music director atCornerstone United Methodist Church in New Orleans East.

A genuinely interracial organisation“Like the nation, New Orleans has white institutions and black ones inabundance. Very few of these institutions are genuinely interracialorganisations. Shades of Praise is proud to be in that number. In learningto sing together, to praise and give thanks, and to do so with enthusiasm,grace and style, we hope to bring some healing of racial wounds toourselves, to our city, and beyond” according to Michael Cowan.

This an initiative by the National Adult Literacy Agency 76 Lower Gardiner St., Dublin 1.Tel: 01 855 4332 or email literacy@nala.ie

Shades of Praise ‘‘Blending voices and cultures at the intersection of race,

faith and music’’Shades of PraiseThe New Orleans interracial gospel choir