Voices of Praise - A Family Worth Meeting

You may or may not know about what could certainly be one of the loudest organizations on campus: The Voices of Praise Gospel Choir. Well, if they are the loudest, then how have you not heard?

Voices of Praise, more commonly referred to as VOP, is the only gospel choir on the Texas A&M University campus. This group does not require auditions for its members and “focuses on the study, rehearsal and performance of music & dance that uplifts the name of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” VOP is a choir of mixed races, faiths, and age groups, existing in order to bring fellowship while celebrating and praising through talent in song and dance. Not only is Voices of Praise a choir, but it is also home to Silent Voices of Praise, a dance and mime group. It is a student run and funded organization, open to all of the community.

You may wonder how a choir without auditions could be successful. Well if you heard just one song, your question would be answered. The passion that this group of students puts into their pieces outweighs any talent that could be measured during an audition. The choir is loud, it’s fun, and it’s unmistakably full of faith and praise. Just ask the committee from the Brazos County Fair who selected Voices of Praise as the winner of the Best Gospel Choir award on September 12th.

VOP performs at numerous events in the community, including this past weekends Gospel Explosion at Duncan Memorial Church in Houston, Texas. The choir also puts on its own annual events, Gospel Fest in November and Spring Fest in April. Gospel Fest is an annual event for gospel choirs throughout Texas. College choirs are invited to come to an all day event at First Baptist Church of Bryan for fellowship and instruction by well-known director and vocalist, Myron Butler. Past years have included Prarie View A&M, University of Houston, Texas Christian University, and Sam Houston University to name a few. The day’s events are concluded with individual choir performances along with a group performance under Butler’s direction. This year’s Gospel Fest will be VOP’s 30th annual event and will be held on Saturday, November 10th. Voices of Praise invites alumni, students, and the community to attend. You will not regret the experience!

More information on VOP at http://vop.tamu.edu/ .