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About the Choir
“This gospel group shakes down the theatre with its huge notes, prompting a fever of foot stomping and hand clapping. Hallelujah!” Penny Wedesweiler, CitySearch, 2007.
Melbourne Singers of Gospel (MSG) is an unauditioned choir based in South Melbourne and performing in the style of the massed congregational gospel choirs of the United States and Southern Africa. MSG sings traditional and contemporary African-American gospel mixed with original songs and arrangements written by Australian artists. Well known standards are combined with a fresh repertoire of gospel spirituals and ballads as well as lively unaccompanied quartet style songs and has even included hip hop.
The Musical Director of MSG is Darren Wicks. Darren has been teaching music for fifteen years and has firmly established himself as a leader in the field of music education. Darren has a wide teaching experience that encompasses all age groups (from infant to adult) and a variety of contexts (studio, classroom, workshops and conferences). Darren’s studies include jazz piano and education at the University of Melbourne and a Master of Music Education at Monash University. He is a graduate of the Brisbane Summer Kodály Institute and in 2005, he completed further studies in Jazz and Gospel music at the Berklee School of Music (Boston), in Harlem and at the Manhattan School of Music. Darren is currently completing PhD studies in vocal pedagogy and conducting. He is the author of a number of publications on music education and regularly presents at teacher training workshops and conferences.
MSG originally formed in 2001, and later secured Phil Heuzenroeder of The Bipolar Bears and Club Wild as its Music Director. Guest directors have included Heidi McDermott, Tracey Miller, Diana Clarke, Steph Payne, Richard Lawton, Zerafina Zara and Jonathon Welch.
In 2007, MSG performed with international touring artists; Janet Austin at BMW Edge and Josh Groban at Hamer Hall and later recorded an album, Heaven on Earth, launched at The Famous Spiegeltent with special guest Kate Ceberano.
MSG has had the pleasure of singing with a wide range of local and international artists including Cyndee Peters (Sweden), country-gospel group GIT, Fiona Boyes, Kelly Auty, Deborah Conway, Kerri Simpson, Carl Panuzzo, Mal Webb, Sweet Monas, Tony Backhouse, Lisa Mio, South of the River choir, The Gospel Belles and the Choir of Hard Knocks at Vodafone Arena under the direction of Jonathon Welch. MSG has also filmed a commercial for Temptation and scenes for Neighbours.
MSG has performed at many venues including the renowned Boite World Music Café, in numerous beautiful acoustic spaces including local churches, Federation Square, BMW Edge and The Famous Spiegeltent. The choir has also performed at many metropolitan, state and interstate festivals, including Melbourne International Arts Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Bendigo Gospel Festival and Brunswick Music Festival. 15,000 has been MSG’s biggest audience to date when it participated in the Australia Day Voyages Concert at Federation Square: a spectacular evening of entertainment.
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