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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—no auditions required.
Miami Sound Space, in a statement, said its goal is to combat “community isolation through singing and cultural opportunities throughout the Greater Miami area.”
The Miami-based choir will be presenting music at the Harmony Choral Festival on June 21. The set pays homage to the cultural fabric of Miami.
The prepared music includes Cordeiro De Nanã by Os Tincoãs, an Afro-Brazilian trio, and “Sentimiento” 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 Cordeiro De Nanã piece originates from Black Afro-Brazilians who prayed to a god named Nanã for strength during an era of hardship and adversity, whereas Sentimiento 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. “I wanted to use that time to represent the vibrant culture and unique sound of Miami.” 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 conductor Jason Max Ferdinand and composer Coty Raven Morris.
“This journey to Carnegie Hall is more than just a performance,” said Merisier. “It’s a testament to the power of community, dedication, and the transformative impact of music.”
“Our 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.”
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 miamisoundspace.com.
This story was originally produced by WLRN, South Florida’s only public radio station at 91.3 FM, as part of a content sharing partnership with Miami’s Community News. Read more at WLRN.org.
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