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Past Special Activities and Events

In addition to seasonal performances throughout central Oklahoma, members of Spiritful Voices have participated in the following special activities and events:

Governor Fallin's Christmas Party

Spiritful Voices had the honor of being invited to perform for Gov. Mary Fallin and First Gentlemen Wade Christensen, and their guests, at their 2011 Christmas Party in the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion! Gov. Fallin and Mr. Christensen's guests included some of the state's most notable celebrities, including the former Miss Oklahoma and recording artist from Barnsdall, Anita Bryant. The choir's "mini-concert" featured some of the governor's favorite Christmas songs and was the crowning event of the community choir's Fall 2011 Season.

OKC Barons Hockey Game

Spiritful Voices sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" just before the first faceoff at an OKC Barons hockey game in the Cox Convention Center Arena on December 18, 2010. The 4-part a cappella version of The National Anthem was arranged and conducted by retired Oklahoma City music teacher Victor Wong exclusively for the event. In addition, the choir also provided Christmas music to hockey fans between periods.

Flash Mob at Oklahoma City Mall

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, several members of Spiritful Voices Community Choir joined thousands of others at Quail Springs Mall to "spontaneously" sing the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah, while thousands of Christmas shoppers looked on from all three mall levels. It was truly an awesome event, and only goes to prove that anyone can be a part of a choir!

Shawnee Press 70th Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City

Dozens of members of Spiritful Voices Community Choir traveled to New York after being invited by Austin composer Joseph M. Martin to participate in the 70th Anniversary Gala of Nashville-based choral music publisher Shawnee Press on June 6, 2009. The evening concert featured two festival choirs of 300 voices each, formed from adult community and church choirs from throughout the world.

Tenth Anniversary Celebratory Concert at the Oklahoma State Capitol

Spiritful Voices Community Choir launched its 10th anniversary season with a special celebratory concert on April 6, 2009, in the first floor Rotunda of the State Capitol. The event reunited with dozens of past choir members, many of whom hadn’t sung together in nearly ten years. The Honorable Judge Carol M. Hansen of the Oklahoma State Court of Civil Appeals was the featured speaker at the event.

United States Navy Band Sea Chanters Chorus Concert

Spiritful Voices Community Choir co-sponsored a free public concert of the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters Chorus as part of the group's 2009 National Tour. More than 1,500 area residents attended the performance at the newly renovated Putnam City High School Auditorium on March 6, 2009. The premier 20-voice Navy chorus, based in Washington, D.C., was accompanied by a three-piece rhythm section, and performed a wide variety of music, ranging from patriotic selections to Broadway show-stoppers. In addition to singing The National Anthem at the 56th Presidential Inaugural Ceremony on January 20, 2009, the official chorus of the U.S. Navy frequently sings at the White House, the Vice President's house, and for dignitaries at Washington embassies.

Director Speaks at ACDA National Convention

Sam P. Vladovich, executive director of Spiritful Voices Community Choir, was a featured speaker at the 50th Anniversary Convention of the American Choral Directors Association. More than 3,000 choral directors from throughout the world attend the convention in March 2009. Vladovich said his presentation addressed the need of choral directors who are interested in beginning a new community chorus, and “those charged with the task of attracting more singers, concert-goers, and donors to their community choirs while dealing with limited financial resources.”

Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) Festival Telethon

Every year since 2002, members of Spiritful Voices volunteer to answer telephones and accept pledges from Oklahomans during OETA Television’s Festival week. During our choir’s typical five hour on-air shift, we have helped raise as much as $40,000.00 for the local PBS affiliate. Televised interviews with OETA personalities such as Gaylon Stacy, B.J. Wexler, Robert Allen, Kimberly Brasher, and others, also help promote Spiritful Voices during the statewide public broadcasting network’s annual telethon.

Glenn E. Burleigh Tribute Concert

Spiritful Voices Community Choir was joined on stage by the Corpus Christi Catholic Church Choir as well as several solo artists to pay tribute to the late Oklahoma composer, Glenn E. Burleigh, in a free concert at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library on December 14, 2008, the one-year anniversary of Burleigh’s untimely death. The composer's sister, LaVonne Burleigh of Ft. Worth, Texas, performed her brother's arrangement, "Let the Redeemed Say So". Glenn E. Burleigh was a native of Guthrie, and lived in Oklahoma City until his death in 2007. Burleigh was 58. During his lifetime, he wrote hundreds of compositions for vocal soloists, choir, and orchestra. He was an internationally known conductor, pianist, and clinician, who will be best remembered for his African-American spirituals. Since its founding in 1999, Spiritful Voices has performed several of Burleigh’s songs including "Jesus Is a Rock In a Weary Land," "Magnify", "Nia" and "Order My Steps". Other performers at the tribute concert included pianist Adam Ledbetter, bass soloist David Anderson, and colortura soprano Bonita Franklin, Professor of Vocal Music at Langston University.

2008 SWACDA Convention Honor Choir in Kansas City

Selected members of Spiritful Voices Community Choir traveled to Kansas City to represent the State of Oklahoma at the 2008 Southwestern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA). The singers from Spiritful Voices joined more than 150 other choristers from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, and Colorado to comprise the first ever Community and Church Honor Choir at the prestigious biennial conference. This premier chorus was directed by Dr. Mack Wilberg, conductor of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. After two days of rehearsals, the multi state choir presented an evening concert to a "standing room only" crowd at the historic Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in downtown Kansas City.

"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas"

During its Fall 2002 Season, Spiritful Voices Community Choir featured "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," in honor of native Oklahoman Gayla Peevey Henderson. In 1953, 10-year-old Gayla traveled from her Ponca City home to New York to record the novelty song with producer/musician Mitch Miller and his orchestra. She was even featured on national television on the famed "Ed Sullivan Show." The song--which sold more than 300,000 copies--was later promoted by the Oklahoma City Zoo in its fundraising campaign to "buy a hippo for Gayla." The effort raised more than $3000 (most of which was actually from coins donated by kids throughout the country) to purchase a baby hippo named Matilda, which was received by the Zoo on Christmas Eve that year, and remained there until its death in 1998. Gayla moved with her family to San Diego just two years after recording the song. After graduating from high school, she earned a teaching degree from San Diego State University. Now retired, she and her husband, Cliff, who were married in 1963, have one grown daughter and three grandchildren. Spiritful Voices founder Sam P. Vladovich visited with Gayla about the "Hippo" song back in 2002, and she told him she still enjoys all of the happiness it brings to people throughout the world even after all of these years. Please click here to visit Gayla's "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" website.

"Festival of Music" at Putnam City High School in Warr Acres

Spiritful Voices Community Choir headlined "Festival of Music" on December 8, 2001, joining musicians from throughout the metropolitan Oklahoma City area. The family holiday celebration featured Oklahoma’s own Jazz saxophonist and recording artist Brian Gorrell, baritone soloist June Carter, pianist Tim Catlett, Women of Crossings’ Chorus, and Putnam City High School’s Mixed Choir. Two performances were presented at Putnam City High School’s Auditorium in Warr Acres. Proceeds from the event, which was produced by Spiritful Voices, benefited the show’s two sponsors, The Francis Tuttle Foundation and Deaconess Hospital.

"Homecoming" CD Recording

In 2005, Spiritful Voices Community Choir released its debut compact disc, "Homecoming". The album is a compelling collection of contemporary secular and sacred choral music. The CD was recorded over a one year period at the Oklahoma Opry Recording Studio in Capitol Hill and features the 50-voice adult chorus and selected soloists, accompanied by the choir's own instrumental group. Songs on the choir’s CD include "You Raise Me Up", "I Love a Piano", "O Magnify", "Et In Terra Pax", "The Scarlet Tide", "Nia", "They Can't Take That Away from Me", "The Mansions of the Lord", and a medley of songs from the hit Broadway musical "Les Miserables". Also featured is the debut recording of a haunting new song from famed composer Joseph M. Martin entitled "The Homecoming," with lyrics based on the poem "My Childhood Home I See Again", by Abraham Lincoln. The CD is available for purchase on Amazon.com.

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