Boston Pops Gospel Choir
About
The Boston Pops Gospel Choir, made up of volunteers from church choirs and other choruses in the greater Boston area, was originally brought together to participate in the first “Gospel Night at Pops,” which took place on Sunday, June 13, 1993. “Gospel Night” came about as a result of the vision and commitment of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Cultural Diversity Committee, and particularly because of the late Vondal M. Taylor, Jr. (1954-95), who was Vice-Chairman of the committee and a BSO Overseer. That first performance was led by guest conductor Isaiah Jackson, and Alvin Parris III prepared the choir. The following year Charles Floyd, perhaps best known for his work with Natalie Cole, led acclaimed Gospel Night performances, which featured his own arrangements, both at Symphony Hall and on the Esplanade. In the 2024 spring season, which marks the 30th annual Gospel Night at Pops, Mr. Floyd returns to lead the concert for the 28th time. In 1996 the Boston Pops Gospel Choir joined Patti LaBelle and Edwin Hawkins for a concert taped for the PBS series Evening at Pops.
Boston Pops Gospel Choir 2024 Roster
* indicates a soloist
Dennis Slaughter, Artistic Director
Norris Welch, Choir Manager
SOPRANOS
Aislin Anderson
Marcia Azores
Tonia Barlow
Neni Carolina Chacin
Mernie Clifton
Maru Colbert
Lorenzee Cole
Victoria Dandridge
Paula Elliott
Christine Ellis
Deborah Freeman Singleton
Ida Kamrara *
Zaida C. Lambe
Laura Lapointe
Katie Leazott
Amina Michel-Lord
Sandra Nelson
Roberta Pina
Sayida Rivers Farmer
Sharon Sealy
Charlotte Spinkston
Pamela St. Aimee
Julie Starr
Marie Toussaint
Jill Updegraph
Martha Vedrine
Brittany Wells *
ALTOS
Loraine Adeyemi *
Joanne Arneman
Sheila Azores
Suzanne Buell *
Sheri Callender
Adrienne E. Campbell
Camilla Davis
Margaret Evans
Cynthia Faulkner
Elisa Gifford
Shannell Grant
Karen Green
Bella V. Harris
Val Harris-Alleyne
Angela Hedley-Mitchell
Kristina Howell
Marcia Jackson
George-Marie Jasmin
JoAnne Loretti
Marie-Elle Merchant
Sharon Molden *
Monica Moore
Kimberly Oliver
Yemisi Oluwole
Kimberly Piper
Kate Prescott
Leslie Ann Roldan
Barbara Ryan
Sherylynn Sealy *
Elyse Seltzer
Cheryl Shea
Jacquinn Sinclair
Katani Sumner *
Crystal Tavares
Pat Temple
Samara Tilkin
Beth C. Tortolani
Laura Vecchione
Mildred Walker
Phil Waters
Patricia Wilkinson
H. Tracy Williams
Mecca Williams
Angelica Wilshire
Vicki Zelski
TENORS
Anthony Clayton
Cathleen Finn
Karen Groce Horan
LaDarrell Hagans
Steve Hawkesworth
Michael Jones
Raymond Martin *
Ezra Mulayi
Elly Pendergast
Terry Spinkston-Brown
Janie Victoria Ward
Josephine Watson
Norris V. Welch
BASSES
Philip Clinton
Jonathan Gramling
David Joyner
Eric Reynolds
Jonathan Temple
Bradley Turner
Wesley Vaughn
RHYTHM SECTION
Mark Copeland, piano
Sam Joseph, bass
Dennis Montgomery, organ
Sean Skeete, drums