2025 Gospel Music Conference
2025 Gospel Music Conference
Hosted by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir
Spend a day immersed in the different elements of Black gospel music. Discover and improve your skills in gospel soloing, vocal strength, tambourine, songwriting, stage presence, and more! Sign up for a full day of workshops, or join in the afternoon for the mass choir workshop. Afterwards, enjoy a potluck dinner hosted by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir followed by an evening of music.
Package A - $110
• 8:30AM - Three Workshop Sessions
• 2PM - Mass Choir Workshop
• 6PM - Dinner & Concert
Package B - $ 40
• 2PM - Mass Choir Workshop
• 6PM - Dinner & Concert
Schedule of the Day
Registration Opens - 8:00 AM
General Session - 8:30 AM to 8:45
• Welcome and Warm Ups
Sesssion 1 - 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM
Session 2 - 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
LUNCH - 11:45 AM to 12:30 PM (not provided)
Session 3 - 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM
Mass Choir Workshop - 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM
During the Mass Choir Workshop, Terrance teaches a song (or two), which are performed that evening at the Annual Free Spring Musical.
Sound Check - 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Dinner - 5:00 PM to 6:15 PM
• Potluck hosted by OIGC members
Doors - 6:30 PM
Concert - 7:00 PM
Workshop Instructors
Click for Bios
Class Descriptions
(in alpha order)
Finding Your Mixed Voice
Instructor: Zoe Ellis
Unlock the full potential of your voice with Zoe Ellis, this year’s Ed Kelly Gospel Music Apprenticeship participant. In this workshop, you’ll explore the art of singing in mixed voice—a powerful technique that blends chest and head voice for a seamless, dynamic sound. Through practical exercises and techniques. learn how to navigate vocal transitions, strengthen your range, and add depth and flexibility to your gospel singing.
Focusing Your Voice
Instructor: Terrance Kelly & Isa S. Chu
Unlock the full potential of your voice by mastering vocal placement! In this workshop, Artistic Director Terrance Kelly and vocal coach Isa S. Chu will guide you through techniques to refine your sound, improve clarity, and maximize vocal resonance. Learn how to place your voice for a stronger, more controlled tone while reducing strain and fatigue. Through practical exercises and expert feedback, you'll discover how to sing with greater ease, flexibility, and expression. Whether you're a soloist or a choir member, this session will help you sing with confidence and purpose.
Give Me That Rhythm
Instructor: Kyle Blase
Unlock the heartbeat of gospel music in this high-energy rhythm workshop with master percussionist Javier Naverrette. Explore the essential grooves and percussive patterns that drive gospel and spiritual music, from handclaps to syncopated beats. Whether you're a singer, musician, or just a lover of rhythm, this interactive session will help you develop a deeper feel for timing, phrasing, and the soulful pulse that brings gospel to life.
Gospel Soloing
Instructor: Ashling Cole
Step into the spotlight and discover the power of your solo voice with Ashling Cole. This workshop will help you build confidence, refine vocal techniques, and learn how to interpret gospel music with authenticity and passion. Whether you're a seasoned soloist or new to stepping forward, you'll explore phrasing, vocal dynamics, and emotional delivery to make every note count.
Gospel Soloing
Instructor: JaCoree Prothro
Unleash your gospel solo voice with JaCoree Prothro! This workshop dives into the nuances of expressive solo singing, helping you find your unique sound while honoring gospel traditions. Learn how to connect deeply with your audience, infuse your performance with emotion, and use techniques like runs, vibrato, and vocal placement to create a powerful and moving solo.
Reading Your Part
Instructor: La Nell Martin
If you've ever struggled to find or hold your part in a choir, this workshop is for you! Join La Nell Martin as she breaks down the essentials of sight-singing, harmony, and vocal blending. Whether you're a beginner or looking to strengthen your music-reading skills, you'll gain confidence in navigating sheet music, understanding your vocal line, and singing with clarity and precision.
Sell Your Song
Instructor: Ashling Cole
You’ve got a great voice—now let’s make sure your message shines! Aisling Cole will show you how to deliver a compelling and heartfelt gospel performance that connects with your audience. Learn how to bring out the emotional depth of a song through phrasing, dynamics, and stage presence. Whether performing in church or on stage, this workshop will help you captivate and inspire.
Sell Your Song
Instructor: JaCoree Prothro
Great singers don’t just hit the right notes—they tell a story. Join JaCoree Prothro for a dynamic session on how to “sell” your song with conviction and authenticity. From vocal expression to stage presence, you'll explore ways to engage your audience, build connection, and leave a lasting impact with every performance.
Songwriting
Instructor: Paul Daniels
Every song has a story to tell. In this workshop, songwriter Paul Daniels walks you through the fundamentals of crafting a song, from melody and lyrics to structure and arrangement. Whether you’re an experienced songwriter or just starting, you'll gain practical tools to develop your ideas and create songs that move hearts and lift spirits.
Support Your Sound
Instructor: Terrance Kelly
A strong choir starts with strong vocal technique! Join Terrance Kelly for an essential session on how to support your voice, maintain vocal health, and sing with power and endurance. Learn about breath control, resonance, and choir blending techniques to enhance your sound and elevate your performance.
Teach Me How to Tambo
Instructor: Jae Phoenix
Bring the spirit of celebration into your worship with the power of the tambourine! Jae Phoenix teaches the rhythms, techniques, and expressive movements that make tambourine playing an essential part of gospel music. Bring a tambourine if you have one, it doesn’t matter what kind or what size. For advanced players, please bring a “sweat rag“ (i.e. hankie or small towel) because you’ll probably need it. 😄 Whether you’re a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, this hands-on workshop will have you playing with confidence and joy.
Annual Free Spring Concert
Join the Oakland Interfaith Family of Choirs and their friends for an evening of Black gospel music, community, and celebration. The Annual Free Spring Concert follows a day of workshops teaching elements of Black gospel music. Reserve your seat, and learn more about the Gospel Music Conference below.
OIGC General Auditions
Greetings, thank you for your interest in the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir!
OIGC is a volunteer choir with professional standards and rehearses weekly on Mondays from 7pm to 10pm and performs 25-30 times a year. Experience is not necessary, however, the director is looking for a certain degree of skill and voices that satisfy the musical needs of the choir.
You will be asked to sing a song (~3 min) of your choice, gospel or secular. You can sing acapella, bring sheet music for the pianist, or a personal speaker for your backing track. You will be asked to sing scales to measure your range and repeat sets of intervals to test for pitch.
Participants should also:
have the ability to stand for long periods of time (sets can run from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours without a break)
have the ability to quickly navigate stairs and stages that may not have accommodations for people with limited mobility
understand that performance schedules and call times can be physically demanding (multiple performances back to back, early morning call times, etc.)
agree to comply with OIGC's current COVID and health protocols to participate (Find complete COVID protocols at http://www.oigc.org/governance).
Membership dues are $25/month or ($275/yr). Members are responsible for paying for their uniform (approximately $400-$450), including, but not limited to, robes, formal uniform attire (suit/bowtie OR dress and jacket), and uniform t-shirts. Members are also responsible for other personal attire such as black pants, shoes, socks, hosiery, etc. Limited financial aid is available for members who may have financial difficulty.
Living Jazz MLK Tribute
Living Jazz’s Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Featuring the music of Aretha Franklin
Tickets starting at $20
Info and Tickets: www.livingjazz.org/mlk-tribute
Chabot Space & Science Center
11:30 AM - OYC Miracles and Oakland Interfaith Kids Choir
1:00 PM - OYC Concert Chorus
Included with General Admission
Step into a world of icy planets and far away galaxies this winter at Chabot! Glide across our sock skate rink, spin and twirl in your coziest socks, enjoy some hot cocoa and channel your inner space explorer with gingerbread rovers inspired by cosmic missions. Enjoy innovative snow-making activities and timed snowfall events, adding a touch of winter wonder to your experience. With festive tunes and interactive activities blending science and seasonal cheer, this is a celebration you won’t want to miss!
16th Annual South Bay Holiday Gospel Concert
OIGC’s 16th Annual South Bay Holiday Gospel Concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts
$55.00 General Admission
$39.00 Seniors/Students/Children
Join OIGC on stage with the South Bay Holiday Workshop Choir - REGISTER HERE
South Bay Holiday Workshop: 2 of 2
Sing with OIGC and Terrance Kelly!
Learn a couple of songs with Terrance Kelly over the course of two workshops and prepare to open the show and scoop joy with OIGC at their South Bay Holiday Concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts!
$100 REGISTRATION
Includes two workshops & admission to OIGC's 2024 Annual South Bay Holiday Concert. (Limited spaces available.)
REGISTER BELOW! (no one turned away for lack of funds, contact programs@oigc.org for more)
An evening with OIGC at Resurrection Oakland Church
FREE Community Concert
Dessert reception to follow!
Doors at 6:30
Oakland City Center Tree Lighting
OIGC Youth Program joins the Oakland City Center’s Tree Lighting festivities!
Bay Street Tree Lighting
Join OIYC and OIKC along with other local musicians to celebrate the tree lighting at Bay Street! Arrive early to give yourself time to enjoy the festivities that Bay Street has to offer.
From Bay Street:
Savor the warmth of festive moments with loved ones {and while you’re at it, savor the new Bay Street Emeryville at our annual Tree Lighting Event}. Join The City of Emeryville and Bay Street Emeryville as we unwrap the magic of togetherness at the 2024 Emeryville Community Tree Lighting Event! Festivities begin at City Hall then bike, scoot, or stroll on over the South Bayfront Bridge to Bay Street Emeryville for food, music & holiday fun! Discover everything new at Bay Street, including our diverse restaurant offerings and our completely redesigned plaza. Sip, Shop & Eat your way from the Plaza to north end.
Friday, December 6, 2024
4:00pm | Sip. Shop. Eat. @ Bay Street Emeryville
4:30pm | Festivities begin @ City Hall – 1333 Park Ave.
5:30pm | Car-Free Parade begins
6:00pm | Bay Street Tree Lighting, Sip. Shop. Eat. Market, Music, food & family fun!
Oakland Rotary Meeting
OIGC Quartet will join the Oakland Rotary Lunch Meeting
Watch the livestream at https://www.facebook.com/OaklandRotary3
Alameda County Food Bank
Community Volunteer Event
OIGC/OICC/OYC help ACFB fill bags of food for the local shelters and churches. Want to join us? Email lanell@oigc.org to RSVP.
South Bay Holiday Workshop: 1 of 2
Sing with OIGC and Terrance Kelly!
Learn a couple of songs with Terrance Kelly over the course of two workshops and prepare to open the show and scoop joy with OIGC at their South Bay Holiday Concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts!
$100 REGISTRATION
Includes two workshops & admission to OIGC's 2024 Annual South Bay Holiday Concert. (Limited spaces available.)
REGISTER BELOW! (no one turned away for lack of funds, contact programs@oigc.org for more)
Fall into Joy
FALL INTO JOY!
Concert with Lighthouse Singers and the
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir Ensemble
Suggested Donation: $20 (+$3.18 fee)
*POSTPONED* Business Cards & Bagels
Hi! Please join us for Business Cards and Bagels, a community networking event at the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir office in beautiful Preservation Park. We’d love to meet you! Come say hi and grab a bagel before starting your day.
2024 Brower Youth Awards
ABOUT:
The theme for this year’s Brower Youth Awards is Currents. Currents are forces of nature that energize and move things — electricity, water, air — forward in a definite direction. Our Brower Youth Award winners are like such currents. Their environmental activism is propelling the changes we need to support a healthy, safe, and equitable planet for all. These young forces are not deterred by inertia or outright resistance to environmental action. We are here to recognize their leadership and celebrate the currents of resiliency their projects have ignited.
Currently, we are also facing multiple existential threats, including the collapse of biodiversity and the climate crisis, threats that require immediate action. Our winners bring solutions to current problems with a sense of urgency and dedication. We are inspired to share their work with you.
OICC: Gospel Music Heritage Month Concert
Oakland Interfaith Community Choir at
Monterey Peninsula Gospel Community Choir’s
Gospel Heritage Month Concert
FREE Concert - Donations Welcome
SFJAZZ Family Matinee
Celebrate Gospel Heritage Month! This morning matinee program will be filled with music, history, and jubilation. OIGC inspires joy and unity among all people, and showcases the diverse tapestry of faith and culture through Black gospel and spiritual music traditions. Join us with the entire family as we come together in “Healing Through Song!”
TICKETS: $18 | $25
OYAE 2024 Closing Reception
OYAE 2024 CLOSING RECEPTION
Join us on Friday, August 30th | 6-9pm for the Closing Reception of OYAE (Oakland Youth Art Explosion) annual exhibit featuring the Oakland Interfaith Youth Choir with Terrance Kelly (Co-Founder and Artistic Director).
RSVP Encouraged, visit: https://OYAE24ClosingreceptionatJGG.eventbrite.com
Seattle Mariner's at Oakland Athletics
GET GAME TICKETS from OIGC through May 31
OIGC and OYC will sing the National Anthem on June 5, 6:40 game vs. Seattle Mariners.
Game tickets: $22.50 each
Seats will be located in or around Section 128
Tickets can be picked up at GATE C on game day from an OIGC staff member.
Oakland Ferry Fest - Tabling
OIGC will be tabling at the Oakland Ferry Fest on Saturday, June 1, from noon to 6pm!
Come say hi and take a free ride on the ferry! ⛴ ...
“You’re invited to the 2024 Oakland Ferry Fest! San Francisco Bay Ferry is hosting a celebration of ferries and the Oakland community at Jack London Square, right next to our Oakland Ferry Terminal. There will be music, food, games & activities, community booths, free ferry rides, and a kids' activity area sponsored by Children's Fairyland! The festival will take place Saturday, June 1st, from 12 PM to 6 PM at the plaza right next to the Oakland Ferry Terminal. We look forward to having you join us.
Free Ferry Tours!
Free ferry rides will be offered throughout the day free of charge for people wanting to jump aboard. Ferry tours will both depart and arrive back at the Oakland Terminal. Each tour will last about 20 minutes and cruise along the Oakland Estuary.”
More info and details - (parking, transit, etc.)
MLK Day of Service - Shoreline Clean Up
COMMUNITY EVENT: From Stepping Out Stepping In and I Heart Oakland-Alameda Estuary
Thursday, January 15, 2024
9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park – 2777 Middle Harbor RoadOakland, CA, 94607
RSVP via email to steppingoutsteppingin@gmail.com
We have a dream! Our dream is that Oakland residents and children will be able to explore the shorelines of Oakland on clean sandy shores. Our dream is that the diverse wildlife who live in the San Fransisco Estuary, can swim and eat without harm. Please join us on MLK Day of Service at Middle Harbor Shoreline Park to help this dream come alive! Let us put our hands together to celebrate the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King and show the world what Oakland citizens can do as we work together to help make a cleaner Oakland Shoreline and San Francisco Bay/Estuary! YOU can help protect the environment, support wildlife, & your health!
There will be morning snacks and a bagged lunch for volunteers provided by the Port of Oakland as a thank you.
Schedule:
9am ~ Check in and Sign Waivers
9:30am -11:45AM ~ Beach Cleanup and Ice plant removal
11:45am ~ Group photo
Noon ~ Prizes and bagged lunch provided by the Port of Oakland
Please RSVP with NUMBER # in PARTY by Thursday, 1/11/2024 so we are sure to have enough food & supplies.
Everyone is required to sign a waiver form prior to the cleanup or when you arrive at the check-in table.
Youth (under the age of 18) must be accompanied by an adult. A parent or legal guardian of youth under the age of 18 must also sign the youth waiver form.
SouthBay Holiday Workshop (2 of 2)
Sing with OIGC and Terrance Kelly!
Learn a couple of songs with Terrance Kelly over the course of two workshops and prepare to open the show and scoop joy with OIGC at their South Bay Holiday Concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts!
$100 REGISTRATION
Includes both workshops & admission to OIGC's 2023 Annual South Bay Holiday Concert.
Limited spaces available.
WORKSHOPS
SAT, Nov 18: 11am to 1pm
SAT, Dec 9: 11am to 1pm
Cypress Point Clubhouse (map)
400 Cypress Point Drive, Mountain View, CA
CONCERT & PERFORMANCE
FRI, Dec 22: 7:30pm (call time 5:00pm)
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (map)
500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA
SouthBay Holiday Workshop (1 of 2)
Sing with OIGC and Terrance Kelly!
Learn a couple of songs with Terrance Kelly over the course of two workshops and prepare to open the show and scoop joy with OIGC at their South Bay Holiday Concert at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts!
$100 REGISTRATION
Includes both workshops & admission to OIGC's 2023 Annual South Bay Holiday Concert.
Limited spaces available.
WORKSHOPS
SAT, Nov 18: 11am to 1pm
SAT, Dec 9: 11am to 1pm
Cypress Point Clubhouse (map)
400 Cypress Point Drive, Mountain View, CA
CONCERT & PERFORMANCE
FRI, Dec 22: 7:30pm (call time 5:00pm)
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (map)
500 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA
OPD: Trunk-o-Treat
We’ll be there passing out candy and info! Stop by and say hi!
Want to volunteer? Contact ruthanne@oigc.org.
