About Wakefield Community Gospel Choir
Set up in 1997 by our Choir Director, Rachel Bradley, the choir has been going strong for many years.
Though the choirs vocal style is deeply rooted in gospel, we endeavour to explore a range of musical genres. Quintessentially soulful classics like Sam Cookes "A change is gonna come" are performed alongside vintage pop such as Marvin Gaye’s "How sweet it is" and Queen's "Somebody to love". We've also added a little bit of funk for good measure with songs like Earth Wind and Fires "September" and we are not scared to explore contemporary pop music either and regularly perform songs such as Emeli Sandé's "Heaven" and Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".
We still like to acknowledge the origins from which our singing style evolved and traditional gospel songs such as "Wade in the water" still feature in our sets along with contemporary urban gospel songs like John Legend's "It don't have to change".
Performances
The choir has been known to perform at weddings, birthdays and many other special occasions at numerous locations across the North of England. And let's not forget the numerous times we have sung at Wakefield Cathedral, a fantastic space in which to perform in the choirs hometown.
WCGC have also appeared at numerous music nights and festivals, gigging alongside numerous professional musicians - the choirs musical endeavours being enjoyed by many who take music seriously. Of note, in 2009, WCGC performed and recorded a requiem for a production of Beyond The Frontline, a play that was staged at the Lowry in Salford. We've also been on TV, having been the opening and closing act for ITV's Calendar programme.
Many of our members are diligently exploring new prospects and opportunities for WCGC and we have high hopes for many more good performances in future. We are also currently welcoming new members so if you think that singing in an upbeat, contemporary choir might be for you then why not get in touch.
Working with charities
The choir sing at many fundraising and charity events throughout the year and also have close associations with Hands of Hope - a charity that raises money for schools and children's projects in Haiti. Other charities and organisations that we have performed for to help raise money include Kids, a charity that supports disabled children and their families, and Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Sheffield.
