It is monday and it is less than two weeks to Gospelkirchentag 2012 in Dortmund, Germany.
When I have tried to explain what Gospelkirchentag is to my spanish friends I realize how much this festival has meant to me. I have been at every Gospelkirchentag and it has always made an impact on me.
The first one in Essen, 2002, I was there with Joybells and we opened for Edwin Hawkins and other artists. It was the first time I met Helmut, Hanjo, and the team of musicians I have made many great concerts with since then. It was the first time I met Martin, the man with the loud laughter, who always introduces the whole festival.
Martin had faith in me and invited me as mass choir director for the festival in Bochum, 2004. Me, Helmut, Tore Aas and Andrae Crouch worked with the mass choir and I think it was the first time that I met a really large audience in Germany. Some people remember me from Bochum because I carried my two year old daughter Stella on my shoulders when we did the final song at the final concert.
In 2006 me and Praise Unit had our first concert in Germany in Düsseldorf and our first CD was brand new. We were surprised to see that so many people had already bought our CD and knew the songs, although it was so new so we hardly knew them ourselves. This was also the first year for German Gospel Choir, the choir of choirleaders, that I directed during the first years. I often meet people who were in that first choir and we speak of those times as a little bit confusing, but very inspiring and good times.
Kirk Franklin came to Hannover in 2008, and Praise Unit was the opening act at the concert. That was of course a great moment for me to share the stage with him. But it was also great to feel that over the years I had gotten a close relationship to so many people who were at the festival. When the audience was singing "It's a good life" and jumping around in that crazy gospel praise style it was really that kind of party that I love so much.
I was not an official person in Karlsruhe in 2010, so this year was much more relaxed for me. I introduced the Oslo Soul Teens from Norway, who I had been working with for some time, and after this the Soul Teens movement started in Germany. That is one of new exciting things that is starting to spread over Germany now.
Gospelkirchentag 2012 starts in a few days. This year I will direct "Inspired" from the new songbook with songs written especially for my workshop weekends. I will also direct two songs for the Soul Teens choir. Praise Unit will be at the opening concert, and then again perform at night at the teens festival. My wife and daughters will be with me, because we go home from Spain in our car, and we stop in Dortmund on the way to Sweden. To show my family the beautiful people of Germany and introduce them to the friends who have helped me become a part of the german choir family is the best thing of all!
I thank God for all the festivals that have been, I pray for many more to come, and I know that this year will be one of the best!
Amen?
When I have tried to explain what Gospelkirchentag is to my spanish friends I realize how much this festival has meant to me. I have been at every Gospelkirchentag and it has always made an impact on me.
The first one in Essen, 2002, I was there with Joybells and we opened for Edwin Hawkins and other artists. It was the first time I met Helmut, Hanjo, and the team of musicians I have made many great concerts with since then. It was the first time I met Martin, the man with the loud laughter, who always introduces the whole festival.
Martin had faith in me and invited me as mass choir director for the festival in Bochum, 2004. Me, Helmut, Tore Aas and Andrae Crouch worked with the mass choir and I think it was the first time that I met a really large audience in Germany. Some people remember me from Bochum because I carried my two year old daughter Stella on my shoulders when we did the final song at the final concert.
In 2006 me and Praise Unit had our first concert in Germany in Düsseldorf and our first CD was brand new. We were surprised to see that so many people had already bought our CD and knew the songs, although it was so new so we hardly knew them ourselves. This was also the first year for German Gospel Choir, the choir of choirleaders, that I directed during the first years. I often meet people who were in that first choir and we speak of those times as a little bit confusing, but very inspiring and good times.
Kirk Franklin came to Hannover in 2008, and Praise Unit was the opening act at the concert. That was of course a great moment for me to share the stage with him. But it was also great to feel that over the years I had gotten a close relationship to so many people who were at the festival. When the audience was singing "It's a good life" and jumping around in that crazy gospel praise style it was really that kind of party that I love so much.
I was not an official person in Karlsruhe in 2010, so this year was much more relaxed for me. I introduced the Oslo Soul Teens from Norway, who I had been working with for some time, and after this the Soul Teens movement started in Germany. That is one of new exciting things that is starting to spread over Germany now.
Gospelkirchentag 2012 starts in a few days. This year I will direct "Inspired" from the new songbook with songs written especially for my workshop weekends. I will also direct two songs for the Soul Teens choir. Praise Unit will be at the opening concert, and then again perform at night at the teens festival. My wife and daughters will be with me, because we go home from Spain in our car, and we stop in Dortmund on the way to Sweden. To show my family the beautiful people of Germany and introduce them to the friends who have helped me become a part of the german choir family is the best thing of all!
I thank God for all the festivals that have been, I pray for many more to come, and I know that this year will be one of the best!
Amen?
A good idea to come with family to Dortmund. And - indeed, the first year German Gospel Choir was one of the most important years in my 10-year life in the role of a Gospel Choir leader. I've learned a lot in these days, thank you for all your engagement and experiments.
SvaraRaderaHope to seey you in Dortmund and Heidelberg
Thomas (Heidelberg)