Publication Date: 15 SEPTEMBER 2008
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One of the UK's most consistent choirs sends a
diary to UKGospel.com about one of their recent trips...
diary to UKGospel.com about one of their recent trips...
Got back from Spring Harvest's Le Pas Opton
Holiday Camp for our family holiday recently (massive big up to Oye, my wife and my rock).
Had a few surprises when we got there. The first came when I bumped into IDMC (who had been invited by Spring Harvest to lead worship for a week).
And then there was also my good friend from back in the day, Pastor ROWLAND HENSHAW (whom I hadn't seen in about 6 years)...
We also bumped into KELECHI 'DJ K' AMADI (funny enough he and I rarely meet outside of UK gospel gigs). Both were there with their families...
What made this meeting all the more extraordinary is that - as you've probably guessed from the name - Le Pas Opton is in West France, a full day's journey from where I live in the UK (2 hours driving to Portsmouth, 6 hours on the ferry, another 4 hours driving down France to Le Pas Opton)...
Had a few surprises when we got there. The first came when I bumped into IDMC (who had been invited by Spring Harvest to lead worship for a week).
And then there was also my good friend from back in the day, Pastor ROWLAND HENSHAW (whom I hadn't seen in about 6 years)...
We also bumped into KELECHI 'DJ K' AMADI (funny enough he and I rarely meet outside of UK gospel gigs). Both were there with their families...
What made this meeting all the more extraordinary is that - as you've probably guessed from the name - Le Pas Opton is in West France, a full day's journey from where I live in the UK (2 hours driving to Portsmouth, 6 hours on the ferry, another 4 hours driving down France to Le Pas Opton)...
...Who said Black folk never go on this sort of holiday...?
good idea to run this article: even before the year runs out, it's already clear that 2008 is recalling the deeply satisfying months of 2004/2005 in terms of fantastic
releases coming out of the industry.
This year our industry has - in the main - been progressed by youthful enthusiasm, and for my money it's been all the better for it. UK gospel music current sports the young sound of the street, unashamed of wearing its Christianity on its sleeve...
Recent high-profile, sell out concerts have also revolved around the sound of the young, essentially Hip-hop and all the derivatives of the Grime sound...
UKGShop.com is on target to have sold something between 250-300
CDs to many discerning UK gospel music fans across the UK (and
good idea to run this article: even before the year runs out, it's already clear that 2008 is recalling the deeply satisfying months of 2004/2005 in terms of fantastic
releases coming out of the industry.
This year our industry has - in the main - been progressed by youthful enthusiasm, and for my money it's been all the better for it. UK gospel music current sports the young sound of the street, unashamed of wearing its Christianity on its sleeve...
Recent high-profile, sell out concerts have also revolved around the sound of the young, essentially Hip-hop and all the derivatives of the Grime sound...
UKGShop.com is on target to have sold something between 250-300
CDs to many discerning UK gospel music fans across the UK (and
Anyway, on to the reason why I thought it a
indeed Europe and USA) by the end of the year...
You'll be forgiven for thinking that's all that the UK scene is about.
However our chorale legacy is alive and well, thank you, albeit it now having to seek its audience and support structure outside of its tradional base within the community.
Along with KINGDOM CHOIR and LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR, IDMC are fast becoming one of the South East's legacy choirs, so I thought - just in case you're thinking that all we're about in the UK is Hip-hop and Grime - it would be interesting to see what life is like on the road for a UK choir...
I threw the idea at diary JOHN FISHER, and they liked it. Within 24 hours I'd had a diary sent to me by CLAUDIEON BEE. Her diary provides a small insight into what
You'll be forgiven for thinking that's all that the UK scene is about.
However our chorale legacy is alive and well, thank you, albeit it now having to seek its audience and support structure outside of its tradional base within the community.
Along with KINGDOM CHOIR and LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR, IDMC are fast becoming one of the South East's legacy choirs, so I thought - just in case you're thinking that all we're about in the UK is Hip-hop and Grime - it would be interesting to see what life is like on the road for a UK choir...
I threw the idea at diary JOHN FISHER, and they liked it. Within 24 hours I'd had a diary sent to me by CLAUDIEON BEE. Her diary provides a small insight into what
But I say all of that to say this:
it's like to be in a contemporary UK Black choir whose influence is increasingly expanding to include the wider, White Christian mainstream.
Enjoy...
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UKGospel.com
OK, so Mr JoFish has decided to be the McDaddy this year and
extend his family. A team of 7 singers, 4 piece band and 11 family
members!!
Meet time is a pleasurable 4pm on Bank Holiday Monday. Time the
Enjoy...
Yinka Awojobi
Content Development
UKGospel.com
OK, so Mr JoFish has decided to be the McDaddy this year and
extend his family. A team of 7 singers, 4 piece band and 11 family
members!!
Meet time is a pleasurable 4pm on Bank Holiday Monday. Time the
IDMC ON THE ROAD - LE PAS OPTON....
rubber actually hit the road. We won't go there. So off we go to
Vendee, France...
Two 17-seater vans, laden with lots of goodies, musical equipment and my infamous Big Green Bag, of course!! No IDMC trip away is complete without it.
By 8pm, we are enjoying the leisure of the 90-minute ferry crossing (not); as we anticipate the 9-hour drive ahead us. Yikes!
After 6 toilet stops, 2 food breaks, 2 u-turns, 4 complete circles on 2 roundabouts and the odd swerve back on to the Right side of the road, we safely arrive at Le Pas Opton at 9am on Tuesday, to be greeted by the beautiful Rachel.
As heads of family, John, Courtney and I, are shown to our luxurious tents. Yes, they actually do exist!! The other guyz are off to board in mobile homes - boring!!
Vendee, France...
Two 17-seater vans, laden with lots of goodies, musical equipment and my infamous Big Green Bag, of course!! No IDMC trip away is complete without it.
By 8pm, we are enjoying the leisure of the 90-minute ferry crossing (not); as we anticipate the 9-hour drive ahead us. Yikes!
After 6 toilet stops, 2 food breaks, 2 u-turns, 4 complete circles on 2 roundabouts and the odd swerve back on to the Right side of the road, we safely arrive at Le Pas Opton at 9am on Tuesday, to be greeted by the beautiful Rachel.
As heads of family, John, Courtney and I, are shown to our luxurious tents. Yes, they actually do exist!! The other guyz are off to board in mobile homes - boring!!
ClauDieon
BACK AGAIN...
OUR FIRST MUSICIAN'S WORKSHOP...
OUR FIRST MUSICIAN'S WORKSHOP...
8 hours later, we enter the big tent and are warmly re-introduced to Le Pas Opton. We do a 20 minute praise & worship set, which is well received and God is exalted.
This is the schedule for the week, in-between cooking on camp stoves, walking to the communal shower block (at least four times a day), bribing our kids to wash up the dishes, killing the crazy spiders that dared to venture into my tent (uh-uh not MY tent!) going to the beach and sweating! It's HOT!
The morning bible studies by RUSSEL ROOK, followed by evening seminar by TANYA BRIGHT, provide a full quota of God's word delivered in a fashion that all can digest. The words passionate, animated, jovial yet conclusive, spring to mind...
Victorious were the testimonies of people who, last year, had been so touched and inspired by our ministry that they were activated to step out on faith and are vocally challenging themselves! Glory to God Like You Know
This is the schedule for the week, in-between cooking on camp stoves, walking to the communal shower block (at least four times a day), bribing our kids to wash up the dishes, killing the crazy spiders that dared to venture into my tent (uh-uh not MY tent!) going to the beach and sweating! It's HOT!
The morning bible studies by RUSSEL ROOK, followed by evening seminar by TANYA BRIGHT, provide a full quota of God's word delivered in a fashion that all can digest. The words passionate, animated, jovial yet conclusive, spring to mind...
Victorious were the testimonies of people who, last year, had been so touched and inspired by our ministry that they were activated to step out on faith and are vocally challenging themselves! Glory to God Like You Know
Saturday saw young ANDRE FISHER (14), GEOFF WHYNE and SAM BLAKE teach our first ever Musicians Workshop
(wow), which saw young Elliott aged 11, join the band by
playing his bass guitar that night!
Mr JoFish himself taught the Vocal Workshop which culminated in 'Le Pas Opton Chorale' being formed of willing holidaymakers, who sang sooo well that - along with singing at the IDMC Gospel Concert that evening - were requested by RUSSELL to sing again for the Sunday Morning Worship too.
Way to go, folks!
The concert on the penultimate evening crescendoed with classic IDMC favourites.
Sunday morning saw performances from the children and the youth, who re-enacted
(wow), which saw young Elliott aged 11, join the band by
playing his bass guitar that night!
Mr JoFish himself taught the Vocal Workshop which culminated in 'Le Pas Opton Chorale' being formed of willing holidaymakers, who sang sooo well that - along with singing at the IDMC Gospel Concert that evening - were requested by RUSSELL to sing again for the Sunday Morning Worship too.
Way to go, folks!
The concert on the penultimate evening crescendoed with classic IDMC favourites.
Sunday morning saw performances from the children and the youth, who re-enacted
Elliott on bass
FINALLY...
a sketch that resounded the Love of God so powerfully, without words, that tears sprang to many eyes.
We shared the Lords Supper with a congregation of some 700 people, and finished on the high note of IDMC's 'I Am Victorious', with crowd participation hitting 11 on a scale of 10.
We departed Le Pas Opton for another year, to the sounds of the staff's annual tradition of singing Lord, 'I Lift Your Name On High'....
Au revoir.
IDMC...
We shared the Lords Supper with a congregation of some 700 people, and finished on the high note of IDMC's 'I Am Victorious', with crowd participation hitting 11 on a scale of 10.
We departed Le Pas Opton for another year, to the sounds of the staff's annual tradition of singing Lord, 'I Lift Your Name On High'....
Au revoir.
IDMC...
John spots Yinka...
John describes the passion and expression
behind singing gospel music
behind singing gospel music
Sam and John set up...
Starting up... vocal training...
John teaches - Sam on keys...
John and Andre
Warm ups before vocal excercise
End of session - round of applause for John and team...
John teaches the high notes...
Workshop Choir rehearsal: John teaches the tenor part...
Workshop Choir - Main Service
LINKS/CREDITS
> IDMC - Official website
> IDMC - MySpace
> IDMC's Spare Time - Official Facebook Group
PICTURES: IDMC and YINKA AWOJOBI
MORE DIARIES: >EKKLESIA >THEBANDWITHNONAME
> IDMC - MySpace
> IDMC's Spare Time - Official Facebook Group
PICTURES: IDMC and YINKA AWOJOBI
MORE DIARIES: >EKKLESIA >THEBANDWITHNONAME
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