The 90-plus voices of the Denison University Gospel Choir will present a program of spirituals and traditional and contemporary gospel music at their 2003 fall concert at 8 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 12) in Swasey Chapel. The choir is directed by Raymond Wise, a 1983 graduate of Denison, who says that "choir members sing, clap their hands, rock, move and sway as they perform, bringing a new spirit to the campus." The concert is free and open to the public.

The program will feature the musical compositions and arrangements of various gospel composers, including works by Wise. Included in this year's fall concert program are: "The Lord's Prayer," "He Is My Light," "Walk Together Children," "One Prayer Away," and "You Alone Are Worthy."

Formed in the spring of 2000, the choir has grown from its initial 26 members to a truly multi-cultural choir of students, staff and faculty at Denison and community members. They have performed throughout central Ohio and on a tour of Portugal in 2002. The choir premiered a new work by Leslie Burrs in 2001 titled "Declaration of Joy." Wise is founder and president of Raise Productions in Columbus and also teaches at Ohio State, Trinity Lutheran Seminary and Columbus School for Girls. He earned both a master's and doctorate in musical education at Ohio State and studied at the Institute for European Studies in Vienna and at San Francisco State University. Wise also serves as an associate minister and choir director at Faith Ministries Interdenominational Church.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575