Soul Sounds presents ‘The Reason We Sing’ – An evening of Gospel music

The Lionel Wendt Theatre will come alive with the sounds of Gospel and spiritual music on 31 January, as Soul Sounds presents ‘The Reason We Sing’, conducted by Prof. Mark Wilson, Director University of California Berkeley Gospel Chorus.

This will be Prof. Wilson’s fifth visit to Sri Lanka, having first accepted Soul Sounds Music Director Soundarie David Rodrigo’s invitation to train the group in the genre of Gospel music back in 2008.  Soundarie met Prof. Wilson while completing her LL.M. at UC Berkeley when she accompanied the University’s Gospel Chorus, which was directed by him. Having been truly inspired by this experience, she was eager to invite him to work with her own choral group, Soul Sounds. 

“It has been two years since Prof. Wilson visited Sri Lanka, and we are truly looking forward to learn from him again. He has inspired and taught us so much over the years and we know that our experiences of working with him are an integral part of what this group has evolved into today, especially in the genre of Gospel music,” said Soundarie David Rodrigo.  

Prof. Wilson hails from California and has been involved in Gospel and Spiritual music since childhood, having been exposed to it through his family’s southern musical heritage. He has continued to keep this heritage alive by singing, accompanying and training numerous Gospel choirs in the US. 

Speaking about his visit, Prof. Mark Wilson said, “It’s been almost 10 years since my first visit to Sri Lanka to share a Gospel music workshop in concert with Director Soundarie David Rodrigo and Soul Sounds.  Over these years we have become more of a global family rather than international acquaintances, and have created close relationships, which will keep us united no matter how far apart we are. Our relationship represents what is really at the root of excellent choral singing.” 

“This brings me to the theme of our concert in Colombo on 31 January, ‘The Reason We Sing’. Musical art shared perfectly and without flaw, however beautiful and perfect it may be, lacks a deeper meaning if it is meant only to be a form of entertainment. Why do we sing and why do we sing Gospel music? We sing because music, and in this case sacred music from the African-American Gospel tradition, makes us happy, stirs up good spirit and good karma within human hearts,” he added. 

Prof. Wilson believes that the Gospel songs from the African-American sacred music tradition featured in the concert call us to be instruments of peace, examples of unity, global ambassadors of hope and love in a world where hatred and injustice is easily stirred up. Souls Sounds, together with Prof. Wilson invite you to share in this concert, and stir up a different kind of spirit that creates unity, love, and draws us together as one.

Tickets for the concert are priced at Rs. 2,000, 1,000, 750 and 500 (balcony) and are available at the Lionel Wendt Theatre from 22 January.