From Alfred Adams
When choristers of the Kwesimintsim Circuit of the proud Association of Methodist Church Choirs (GHAMECC) congregated on the premises of the Freeman Methodist Church for this year’s Circuit Conference, they had one mission – to win the coveted singing competition trophy.
Though the singing competition was not the only item on the conference schedule, the singing competition is viewed and seen by the choristers as the ultimate prize to be won.
Consequently, much energy, time and resources is devoted into preparatory singing works ahead of the conference itself. The Kwesimintsim Circuit of GHAMECC has six societies’ choirs (Methodist Church Choirs) in the competition. They are the Freeman Choir, Mount Olivet Choir and John Wesley Choir, Ebenezer Choir, 2BN Choir and Shalom Choir.
The Freeman Choir won it two years ago and was defending the title as host choir of the Circuit Conference. The Mount Olivet Choir, which placed second during the last conference hosted by the Shalom Choir, came into the conference with the view of denying the host Choir (Freeman Choir) from, once again, winning the trophy.
So it was a straight battle between the two domineering choirs in the circuit. The Circuit Conference is held bi-annually, and is a time the various choirs take stock of activities of the year. The circuit is headed by Bro. George Nii Ankamah Kwofie as Chairman, Sister Henrietha Anderson as Vice Chair and Sister Jemima Ivy Eshun as Secretary.
The conference, which was on the theme: ‘Witnessing to Christ, Singing for Effective Christian Formation’, saw the Superintendent Minister of the Circuit, the Very Rev Michael Abedu, officially open the conference on Saturday. Other sister choirs in the Sekondi Diocese of the GHAMEC also graced the conference with fraternal messages.
The Circuit Chairman, Bro. George Nii Ankamah Kwofie, who in his address underscored the important role the choirs play in Methodism, advised the choristers to be disciplined and submit to their leadership. He expressed the belief that the conference theme would transform the lives of the choristers in the circuit.
On Saturday afternoon, after the conference had officially been opened, activities such as Reports Reading, Choir Forum, Music Workshop and Bible Quiz Competition were held. In the night, when the singing competition was to take place, the church hall was filled to capacity.
Eventually, when all was set for the competition, the Diocesan music directors, Messer Ben Kofi Williams and Theophilus Appiah, who were to adjudicate the singing competition spelt out the rules of the game and what both were looking out for such as diction and choreography among others.
One after the other, the six society choirs came on stage to perform three musical pieces – A Choral Anthem, Canticle and Hymnal with Descant. At the end of the competition, the host choir (Freeman Choir) was named winner of the competition scoring 73 marks.
Following was the Mount Olivet Choir, scoring 63 marks to place second. The 2BN Choir placed third, followed by the Rev. John Wesley Choir. The Bible Quiz competition saw the John Wesley Choir emerging victorious, followed by the Shalom Choir. The Freeman Choir placed 4th, whilst the Ebenezer Choir placed fifth.