HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- Twelve Hot Springs Village residents participated in the Arkansas Master'Singers annual retreat Sept. 12-13 at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock.
The 11 singers and one instrumentalist from the Village represented several local churches, including Balboa Baptist, Village Bible and Coronado Baptist. Church music directors Keith Stevens, Balboa, and Levan Hubbard, VBC, also sang with the group, according to a news release.
The group is comprised of an SATB choir with approximately 175 singers, including soloists, accompanied by two pianists and a 22-piece orchestra.
The two-day event included multiple chorus and orchestra rehearsals, both separately and combined. Time was also allotted for worship, devotion and fellowship, with snacks and meals provided.
Every September, the group gathers for two days to rehearse the material for their upcoming concert season, including approximately a dozen new orchestral and combined choral/orchestral pieces, and also to review nearly as many previously performed pieces. Additionally, the separate women's SSAA and men's TTBB choruses rehearse about three pieces of their own with piano accompaniment. The group's repertoire will be rotated throughout the six concerts during the season, with about 10 combined choral/orchestral pieces, four women's and men's choral pieces, and four orchestral stand-alone pieces performed at each concert. The group gathers at noon on concert days at the performance venue to further rehearse their pieces and fellowship with each other before the concert.
The group is conducted by Tim Gunter, instrumental music director, orchestra/instrumental director, Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, Angela White, Women's Chorus director, Worship Arts director, First Baptist Benton, and Jim Daniel, Choral director and music and worship consultant, Arkansas Baptist State Convention.
All concerts are free, start at 7 p.m. and last about one and a half hours without intermission. Upcoming concerts are set for the following dates:
Oct. 22 -- ABSC Annual Meeting, Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, 12400 Interstate 30, Little Rock.
Nov. 14 -- Concert of Worship, West Baptist Church, 1100 N. Central Ave., Batesville.
Jan. 27 -- ABSC Evangelism Conference, Geyer Springs First Baptist Church, 12400 I-30, Little Rock.
Feb. 13 -- Concert of Worship, Woodland Heights Baptist Church, 4215 Prince St., Conway.
March 13 -- Split Concerts of Worship; place to be announced.
April 22 -- Concert of Worship, Ouachita Baptist University, Jones Performing Arts Center, 410 Ouachita St., Arkadelphia.
The group plans a mission trip to Costa Rica from May 27 to June 2, 2025. During their weeklong visit to the capital San José, they will give twice-daily concerts at churches, parks, schools and other venues, engage in prayer walking, pre- and post-concert street evangelism, fellowship with local church leaders and musicians, and demonstrate music for local school children. Their trip will also include a performance at the National Theatre, modeled after the Paris Opéra, for national leaders of the country, the release said.
For more information, visit:
https://arkansasmastersingers.org