Gospel music will fill the dramatic vaulted ceiling of The Reid Center (formerly the Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church) at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 7.
Members of The Dayton Chapter of The Gospel Music Workshop of America, Inc. (GMWA) will present a concert, which requires tickets.
The 70-member group is celebrating its 50th year in the international musical organization, which was founded in 1967 by the Rev. James Cleveland. GMWA’s purpose is to promote African-American gospel music through academics, workshops, performances, and new artist development.
Tickets are $10 and go on sale Friday, April 7. They Doors open at 3:30 for the 4 pm performance. Tickets may be purchased online ($0.95 convenience fee), at the Old National Road Welcome Center, 5701 National Road East, Richmond, Indiana, or at the door, if there are still available tickets.
The Rev. Isaac Douglas and Charles Vaughn formed the Dayton group in 1972 and were aligned with the GMWA Cincinnati Chapter under the direction of Dr. Charles Fold.
The Dayton Chapter is known as a model chapter because of its commitment to sharing and spreading the gospel music genre nationwide. The group provides services to local churches seeking musicians and maintains its GMWA national affiliation by conducting workshops and seminars for promising church choir conductors, soloists and instrumentals. They also provide college credit courses and celebrate gospel music through worship performance opportunities and by offering concerts such as the May 7 event at The Reid Center.
Logo: Dayton Chapter of The Gospel Music Workshop of America – GMWA
The Dayton Chapter has also worked with a number of award-winning gospel artists through the years. They include Dorinda Clark-Cole, Keith Pringle, Pastor Marvin Sapp, Kirk Franklin as well as Dr. Fold and the national organization’s founder, Rev. Cleveland. Members from Lima, Troy, Middletown, Xenia, Cincinnati, Springfield and Dayton make up the group. They encourage singers interested in joining to attend one of their twice-monthly rehearsals. Learn more about the Dayton Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America at gmwadayton.com.
The Reid Center was created to preserve the historic 1906 Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church. The gospel group’s performance is part of the mission of the center in its commitment to diversity, equity, access and inclusion. The organization serves as an educational and historical destination for offering many free concerts and ticketed events to the public. Along with its Louis Comfort Tiffany windows and stunning interior design, The Reid Center features a 1905 Hook and Hastings pipe organ and a one-of-a-kind 1902 Starr Piano Company 9-foot concert grand piano.
Many community volunteers, through a variety of talents, support the ongoing regular events such as the free noon concerts on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Donations to The Reid Center, a 503c3 organization can be made by visiting www.reidcenter.org/support.
