Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir GospelFEST Saturday

Apr. 21—PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir returns to structured themes under the artistic direction of Dr. Dexter Criss and Andrea D. Ogle.

The choir's annual GospelFEST, will be held 5 pm. Saturday, at the Plattsburgh House of Prayer located on 63 Broad St.

"This year even going back to the fall, we went back to A Soulful Christmas," Criss, emcee, said.

"This semester, we went back to GospelFEST. During COVID, we called it the finale, Fall Finale, Spring Finale, because it was different. With hindsight, it actually gives us a marker. Those years we were in COVID, we call it finale. That was not intentional. It just happened to turn out that way. But what is intentional, we went back to our themed shows, GospelFEST, Soulful Christmas, Common Roots."

Another difference is the venue at the Plattsburgh House of Prayer. A freewill concert, seating is limited.

"We haven't done that since I ran the choir," Criss said.

"We've never had a free GospelFest, you know. It's going to be freewill. We don't want anyone being held back at all. We're asking those people who have the ability to be generous, to be generous in the donation bucket. We would appreciate that."

Saturday evening, the choir will perform works by Judith McAllister (Hallelujah You're Worthy), Donald Lawrence (There is a King in You), Milton Brunson (It's Gonna Rain) and Bam Crawford's timeless-classic "My Help."

Sunday's regular lineup includes guest performances by The Voices of Faith — Bobbie Criss, Janice Tobin, Nora Ray, Desiree Terrell and Brett Carpenter — and SUNY Plattsburgh Praise Dancers.

"What we have back, which we haven't had for four or five years, is the Step Team," Criss said.

"I've seen them once practice about a month ago. So, I'm very eager to see what they have. It's going to be exciting to bring them back. and the Praise Dancers, wow. I'm extremely impressed with their preparation. They practice once or twice a week. They are really serious. I think they could be competition-ready. They are really, really good."

Featured soloists, directed by Ogle, include Keely Huling, Barbara Simmons-Criss, Dr. Lolita Kincade, Jerrique Ortiz, and Brett Carpenter.

"Lolita, her family and her husband, moved here last year," Dr. Criss said.

"She's an associate professor in family and human development. In fact, she is the chair of family and human development. She grew up in Church of God in Christ. Her husband is Baptist. They moved here, one of the few Black families. The Gospel Choir has given her a home to have those affinities that we all love."

The Gospel Choir Band's configuration is another difference from past engagements.

"I'm on the piano," Criss said.

"I will have Keith Gibson. He's from Montpelier, Vermont on drums. He's a music educator there. One of his students, Hannah Haverick, she is playing bass. Brett Carpenter will be on the cajón, and Jonathan Ellwanger on piano."

The choir is still in recovery mode from COVID reductions.

"We're up eight to 10 members overall from the fall, which is good," Criss said.

"They are not as strong as I would like, so we are still open for members to join us this summer. We're going to sing in the Flynn Theatre in Burlington for JazzFest. We're going to be part of Myra Flynn's concert, 'Roar of the Queen.' We are doing Juneteenth. Actually, that just finalized there in Burlington. It's going to be on the Saturday before Juneteenth."

Saturday, there will be a Gospel Choir Meet & Greet in the lobby of the Plattsburgh House of Prayer.

"We will have finger foods," he said.

Concert-goers can enjoy light refreshments and the SUNY Plattsburgh State Jazz Ensemble in a pre-concert concert at 4 p.m.

"We're really glad to have them," he said.

"The Jazz Ensemble had dissolved. COVID shut down a lot of ensembles. So Matthew Pray got them back together, and they're really doing well. I listened to them a couple of times during their rehearsal."

Concert programs will be online and not printed.

"We want people to scan when they walk in," Criss said.

"That's one thing we learned from COVID that we don't always have to have programs in hand. Of course, we thank our sponsors who come in to make this happen. It will be a whole lot of fun. The student soloists have really stepped up, so the talent of the choir, I feel that has definitely increased since COVID."

Email: rcaudell@pressrepublican.com

Twitter@RobinCaudell