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New Director of Choral Arts It is with
great joy that we announce the appointment of Ms.
Dennell Boykins as the new Director of Choral Arts for
Sandtown Children of Praise. Dennell comes to us from
Morgan State University, where she majors in Music.
Dennell is currently an active member of the First
Apostolic Faith Church in Baltimore. It was in this
great sanctuary that Sandtown won its first Quaker Oats
Competition. She brings a variety of gifts to our staff
and family. We are so excited about what God is going to
do in and through this mighty young woman. Dennell
truthfully loves God and children, and she desires to
see God use the children of this community to intimidate
and extinguish the enemy's attacks.
Please feel free to email her (dennell@sandtown.com)
and welcome her to our family. I warrant your prayers
for her as she diligently seeks God's will for her while
here at New Song.
New Album/CD - Released
Sandtown Children of Praise, have released their 1st
"National" album. It is under the name "Sandtown" on the
Gotee
label. The title of the CD is; "Based On A Tru Story". It
should be at most stores that sell music, under either the
Gospel section or Christian contemporary.
We praise God for the ministry He has given these kids. They
continually flesh out what Paul wrote about in saying God
takes
the "weak" things of the world to shame the strong and the
"foolish"
things to shame the wise. They expand people's view of
God's kingdom and of what He can do.
If you can't find the CD in stores yet, then check
out the arts'
ministry's web site (www.Sandtown.com)
A New Facility
Using existing neighborhood
resources, New Song Community Church and New Song Arts
renovated the former neighborhood Boys Club which had
deteriorated over the years. After moving their offices
seven times, New Song Arts has a permanent home with
adequate rehearsal, studio, and performance space. On
November 9th, they presented the first ever Sandtown
Children of Praise community concert. The facility also
provides worship and office space for the
church.
Sandtown is
a development of New Song Arts, a music program reaching
children and youth in west Baltimore’s
Sandtown-Winchester
community. These kids are not formally trained
musicians...read
more.
New
Song Arts Expands
Peabody
Partnership
“I
never dreamed that I would see one of my grandchildren
singing a solo up on that stage. When I saw Anthony
(Gaither) up there singing, it was
just very exciting,” says choir
 grandparent
and Health Center staffer
Rose Brown-Jones.
While a SCOP parent or family member may never find fault
with their child’s singing,
New Song Arts is always trying to give choir members
opportunities to improve their talent. “At this age, it’s
important that the kids learn how to sing without damaging
their voices. We also want to see them grow in their sense
of pitch and in their ability to have control - two things
which are difficult, even for adults,” says director Alvin
Richardson.
Through
a partnership with the world class Peabody Conservatory of
Music here in Baltimore, SCOP members are receiving a
little extra musical instruction.
Ms.
Loretta Young, a renowned mezzo-soprano and voice teacher
at both the Peabody Conservatory and the Baltimore School
for the Arts, has been teaching Tierra Hathaway, Anthony
Gaither, Tierra Williams and Cherrell Harlee once a week.
In their individual voice lessons, the choir members work
to improve their overall technique.
Additionally, New Song Arts has partnered with Peabody
to provide New Song Academy with general music classes.
Peabody staff visits Academy classes to teach basic
rhythm, music structure and music history ensuring that
students who are not in SCOP are given the opportunity to
use their gifts and learn more about music.
New Song Arts Choir Tour Expands
On April 2nd, 2002, the Sandtown Children of Praise
embarked on their annual spring tour on a 57 passenger bus
filled with 30 choir members, chaperones, granola bars,
movies, and every imaginable hand-held video game. This
year’s tour was bigger than ever with seven days on the
road and a packed Friday night concert in America’s music
capital, Nashville, Tennessee. Joining them on tour for
the first time was Cross Culture, the 25 member high
school choir in its second year.
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