Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 5/4/05 Section: A&E

The sounds of gospel music will fill Grace Baptist Church on Friday in honor of Mother's Day. The Gospel Jazz Ensemble of San Jose State University will sing a diverse selection of music for all in attendance.

"Our congregation has had a long relationship with the university community in many different ways," said Michael-Ray Mathews, pastor of Grace Baptist Church. "I'm a relatively new pastor here and I wanted to explore new ways to participate in activities with the university. We're hoping to have them perform again next year for a benefit concert as well."

The concert, a pre-Mother's Day concert, will focus on African American sacred music and will include special tributes to mothers within the community.

"We will be recognizing women within the congregation," Mathews said.

The focus, he said, would be on those "...in their 70s, 80s and 90s who have been mothers to our church for a long time."

The ensemble will perform various types of music, including traditional and contemporary gospel pieces, spirituals, hymns and anthems, as well as traditional African songs.

In its fourth year under the direction of SJSU alumna Virginia Roberts, the group is committed to community involvement. The choir frequently performs off campus in places such as the Kwanzaa Festival, the citywide Martin Luther King Day observance and African American Heritage Month activities at Foothill College.

"Each semester, we usually do a couple of concerts in the community," Roberts said. "We've done one in January for an outreach program for young teenage girls called the Images program, and in the concert hall, which is our requirement. We also have a member of our ensemble, Kendra Miedema, who is a member of the church and I have some music majors, others from different majors and athletes and some from the community as well."

The group has also performed in a number of events, including participation in the Concert for World Peace, which was directed by master trumpeter and SJSU Artist-in-Residence Eddie Gale.

Since becoming director of the group four years ago, Roberts has become an advocate for perfection from her group. She tries to expose the members to all different kinds of African American sacred music, which include gospel pieces, hymns and spirituals.

The group is made up of a variety of students ranging in age, majors and experience in music. The only requirement to take the class is some experience in singing or playing an instrument.

The concert, an idea from Mathews, has been a project that both sides hope will benefit each group, Roberts said. Money raised from the event will go toward bringing musicians to the students and the class and the event will bring students and community members to the church.

"This was an idea of Kendra's and Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews. He had been coming by and looking into the window, hearing us practice," Roberts said. "It was a dream of his to have us perform and a way to have other students participate in his church as well."

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