Children’s choir to bring African rhythms to Fredericksburg
A group of children from Uganda will take the stage in Fredericksburg, VA, United States, this month, bringing with them the beat of drums, vibrant dances and songs filled with joy. They are members of the African Children’s Choir, which for more than four decades has captivated audiences around the world while opening doors of education for thousands of children back home.
They will perform at 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church of Fredericksburg (5120 Harrison Rd). The choir was founded in the early 1980s by Ray Barnett, after he met a young boy in Uganda who had lost both parents during the country’s civil war.
He gave the boy a ride, on the long journey, the boy sang praise songs the entire way. “Ray was captivated by the resiliency and beauty of this little child,” said choir manager Tina Sipp.
That one boy’s voice grew into inspiration for an organization that has now educated close to 60,000 children across Africa. Today, the choir serves as the fundraising arm of Music for Life, an international nonprofit dedicated to providing education for children from vulnerable backgrounds.
The children who tour are guaranteed to have their education paid through the college level, but their performances also raise funds for countless others in their communities.
“It doesn’t matter if you give $5 or $500,” Sipp said. “It translates into helping a real child break out of the cycle of poverty. If one person in a family can get an education, that changes the landscape for that family.”
The choir is made up of children between the ages of 8 and 10. Selection is based not on musical ability but rather need, with a goal of offering opportunities that poverty might otherwise prevent.
Once chosen, the children spend six months to a year at a training centre in Uganda, where they begin formal schooling and learn the songs and dances they’ll perform on tour.
The choir’s concerts are a vibrant mix of sound and movement. Children perform traditional African drum pieces and dances, don colourful costumes and sing in multiple African languages. This year’s program, “Just As I Am,” weaves familiar hymns into African rhythms, creating a performance that feels both new and familiar.
“People like the music,” Sipp said. “They love the dancing, the costumes. They love the whole program. But I think they leave saying, ‘My goodness. Look at the joy. In spite of their background, look at the joy.’”
The U.S. tour kicks off in September and stretches through May, taking the 17 members of this year’s choir to more than 100 cities. Typically, they perform four times a week. On non-performance days, they continue their schooling, often in classrooms set up at the local churches that host them.
Behind the scenes, a legion of volunteers sustains the choir’s work. Local churches provide meals and lodging for the children, while host families welcome them into their homes.
Alumni of the choir often return years later as mentors and chaperones, offering younger children a living example of what education and opportunity can make possible. This year, four Ugandan chaperones will accompany the team all of whom are former members of the choir.
“That’s our gold star, really,” said Sipp, “to see the children we’ve raised doing the very things we hoped that they would.”
Written by Caitie Finlayson
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