Stockholm gospel Choir festival Aug 30 - Sept 1 2024

August 30 - September 1 we welcome choirs and singers from all over Sweden and Europe to gather and to sing gospel music in the center of Stockholm. 

Again we have the great opportunity and the collaboration with Kulturhuset Stadsteatern and to fill the whole house with gospel music. Our vision is to create a warm, positive and welcoming atmosphere for choir leaders, choirs and singers. During Stockholm Gospel Choir Festival differents generations of leaders, singers and audience get to meet, be inspired, connect and create new experiences together.

The gospel music has it's roots in West Africa with polyrhythmic, call & response and dance and in Chicago in the beginning of the 20th century the gospel music was born, with hopeful texts and rhythms containing both joy and struggle. You can't be a whole choir by yourself, through singing and the music the unity is strengthened and in a society increasingly polarized we need to find ways to get together and share the hope.

During the festival we get to meet Cinque Cullar and The International Peace Troupe from Chicago US. Cinque grew up in The Soul Children of Chicago and today he is a well know choir leader and a soloist that regularly travels to Europe to work with choirs. Cinque is passionate about young people and that every individual should feel seen and believe in their own capacity. To train young people and inspire through the gospel music is something that drives Cinque and The International Peace Troupe, consisting 15 young singers and musicians.

Information and registration

 
 

Instructors & GUests

Cinque Cullar

Cinque Cullar discovered in an early age that he had the ability to reach out to people through his voice. He grew up in The Soul Children of Chicago and was on tour all over the world with the gospel legend Jesse Dixon.

Cinque is, except being a choir leader, also a teacher and works a lot with inspiring and train young people through gospel music. His goal for the International Peace Troupe is to expose young people to life possibilities and spread the good news of Christ globally is a noble mission that can have a profound impact on communities worldwide.

Cinque is a well known soloist and choir director that have been working with a lot of choirs in Europe through the years. In 2012 he released the album Letters to God and in 2015 he recorded Life and Worship - Live in Sweden together with the Swedish choir Solid Gospel from Gothenburg.

 

The international peace troupe

International Peace Troupe, consisting 15 young singers and musicians from Chicago US, travels together with their director Cinque Cullar. Their mission is to meet people, sing and spread the word of gospel music.

By spreading their message through music and serving as positive examples, they aim to make a meaningful impact on a global scale. Traveling to places like Sweden, Europe and, South Africa reflects their commitment to reaching diverse audiences and fostering positive change.

Take a look at The International Peace Troupe and Cinque Cullar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MD4rlUd4Ak

 

Gerald T. Smith

With his dynamic style of leadership Gerald is a valued and frequently hired instructor all over USA and Europe. With his classical background Gerald has a unique ability to challenge and inspire choirs, both as a choir director and singer.

He studied at Howard University in Washington D.C. and the University of Maryland where he got his Bachelor of General Studies in Music & Piano. He’s been working with many great gospel singers and composers: Tramaine Hawkins, Dottie People, Richard Smallwood, Albertina Walker och Rev. James Cleveland. His song, “We Praise You for Who You Are”, was one of the songs at the world's greatest gospel festival “Workshop of America 2000”. Gerald also enjoys working with children and young people including his own gospel group, Youth–N-Praise. 

Gerald has been on tour all over the world with George Faison’s “Sing, Mahalia, Sing”, The Broadway Musical “Purlie” at Kennedy Center and concerts in Jordan, Israel and Egypt. Gerald is the Director of Music at St. Paul Church, Maryland.

 

our Swedish instructors

Mikaela Häger

Mikaela is the CEO of Svenska Gospelverkstaden since 2021. She is a choir director, singer and vocal coach with a degree in teaching at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. She is the conductor of Vasa Gospel Choir and often hired as a guest director by gospel choirs all over Sweden. Mikaela is passioned about sharing gospel music to a younger generation.

Emma Leijon

Emma is working as festival general of Stockholm Gospel Choir Festival. She is a singer, a choir leader and an event manager. Emma was one of the first youth musicians at Svenska Gospelverkstaden and been a part of the organisation since 2011.

Magnus Spångberg

Magnus has been the bandmaster and pianist at Stockholm Gospel Choir Festival for about 30 years. Together with his wife Anki he runs the choir “Sjung med Spångberg” in Örebro and together they also travels all over Sweden and work with gospel music.

MASS CHOIR INFORMATION

Guests
Cinque Cullar and The International Peace Troupe, Chicago
Gerald T. Smith, Washington DC

Location
In central Stockholm.

Participants
Choirs and singers of different ages.

Preparation materials
A number of songs will be prepared before the festival. You should be able to know the songs by heart when you arrive. You will access sheet music and voice recording of all songs at our website, it makes it possible for each singer to prepare at home and together with the choir at the choir rehearsals.

Registration
The registration is open for individual singers and choirs.

When you register your choir you write an approximate number of choir members that will participate. In connection with invoicing in March you will notify us with the definite number of singers participating from your choir. .

Registration fee
Individual singers - 995 SEK.

Choir - the fee varies depending on how many singers you register.

  • 995 SEK per singer if you register 1-14 participants.

  • 895 SEK per singer if you register 15 participants or more.

  • 795 SEK per singer if you register 30 participants or more.

Schedule (preliminary)

Friday August 30

  • Inspiration day for choir leaders 10 am - 4 pm

  • Check-in from 5 pm

  • Rehearsal at 6.00 pm

Saturday August 31

  • Rehearsal

  • 3 - 11 pm Gospel music at Sergels torg and Kulturhuset Stadsteatern, for all participants and audience. Concerts, “Open Stage” and gatherings.

Sunday September 1

  • Sunday Service

  • Lunch

  • Mass Choir Concert