Harmony Choral Festival, a choir festival taking place in Carnegie Hall, has invited the Miami Sound Space to represent the Magic City at the national level.
To get ready for the big event, dozens of choir members in Miami Sound Space rehearse songs every Wednesday at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex. All the songs draw inspiration from Miami.
Miami Sound Space is a community choir collective founded by Founder & Executive Artistic Director Laurah Merisier in 2019. It is inclusive to anyone who calls Dade County home鈥攏o auditions required.
Miami Sound Space, in a statement, said its goal is to combat 鈥渃ommunity isolation through singing and cultural opportunities throughout the Greater Miami area.鈥�
The Miami-based choir will be presenting music at the on June 21. The set pays homage to the cultural fabric of Miami.
The prepared music includes Cordeiro De Nan茫 by Os Tinco茫s, an Afro-Brazilian trio, and 鈥淪entimiento鈥� by Betsayda Machado & Parranda El Clavo, a Venezuelan Afro-Soul (Tambor) group. The performance will take place at the renowned Carnegie Hall.
The two songs are traditional folkloric resistance music. The piece originates from Black Afro-Brazilians who prayed to a god named Nan茫 for strength during an era of hardship and adversity, whereas echoes the grief of Venezuelans under contemporary struggles.
Miami Sound Choir has been granted a five-minute solo spotlight on the iconic Carnegie Hall stage during the festival. 鈥淚 wanted to use that time to represent the vibrant culture and unique sound of Miami.鈥� Meiser also emphasized the importance of bringing protest songs to a traditionally Western classical stage.
Merisier added that it would be the first performance outside of Miami for the choir, making it especially special. She explained that the choir will get the chance to rehearse and perform under the direction of the acclaimed and .
鈥淭his journey to Carnegie Hall is more than just a performance,鈥� said Merisier. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a testament to the power of community, dedication, and the transformative impact of music.鈥�
鈥淥ur fundraising campaign is vital to making this dream a reality for our choristers, many of whom are experiencing their first major performance opportunity. We believe this experience will not only elevate Miami Sound Choir as an organization but also inspire a new wave of musicians and cultural ambassadors from our incredible city.鈥�
In anticipation of their voyage to the Big Apple, the choir has jump-started a fundraising campaign of $8,500 to support travel expenses of vocalists who need financial assistance. A recent press release detailed swag bags with custom-made bucket hats, tumblers, sunglasses, crew socks, car magnets, keychains/bracelets, and canvas tote bags.
You can learn more about how to get involved if you visit.
