The city of Charleston and YWCA Greater Charleston will sponsor a concert titled “Hold Fast to the Dream” honoring the legacy of The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 5 p.m. on Monday, January 20, 2020 at First Baptist Church of James Island, located at 1110 Camp Road. Doors will open at 4 p.m.
The concert, which is free and open to the public, will feature Lowcountry Voices, one of Charleston’s most outstanding choral groups known for their uplifting regional and international performances, under the direction of Mr. Nathan L. Nelson.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, along with Reverends Charlie L. Murray Jr. of First Baptist Church of James Island, Marshall Blalock of First Baptist Church of Charleston and Alex Sands, Pastor at Kingdom Life Church of Simpsonville, SC and President-elect of the South Carolina Baptist Convention will speak at the concert, emphasizing Dr. King’s legacy and the need for unity and conciliation among all citizens.
Throughout the concert, set to take place on the official MLK Holiday, Rev. Dr. Kylon Middleton, Jr. of Mt. Zion AME Church will narrate the poem “I Dream A World” by Langston Hughes.
The 90-minute concert will open and close, respectively, with Civil Rights Movement anthems “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “We Shall Overcome.” Some of the contemporary and sacred music to be performed includes “I Am His Child” by composer Moses Hogan, “Ain’t Got Time to Die” by composer Hall Johnson, “The Storm Is Passing Over” by composer Barbara Baker and “The King’s Tribute” by composers Curt Burrell and H. R. Palmer.
The January 20th concert is part of the YWCA’s 48th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, South Carolina’s largest tribute to Dr. King.
ABOUT LOWCOUNTRY VOICES: Lowcountry Voices is a multicultural and ethnically diverse choral performing arts organization based in North Charleston, SC. It performs all genres of choral music with an emphasis on African-American music performed in the South Carolina Lowcountry tradition. Its repertoire includes traditional and contemporary gospel music, spirituals, hymns, jazz, classical choral music, and music from the theater and movies. It shares the musical flavor of the Lowcountry in multiple venues throughout the Lowcountry of South Carolina, as well as throughout the state of South Carolina, throughout the United States, and internationally.