The Optimist

For the 10th annual A capella Singing Extravaganza, organizers of the Minda Street Church of Christ are moving the celebration downtown.

In the past, the Minda Street church has conducted the event at its building, where members have resorted to pulling chairs out into the aisles. Now, they hope to pack the Paramount Theatre, which seats 1,200, in a similar fashion.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount in downtown Abilene. Admission is free.

"We want to make it a lot more memorable than in the past," said Romel Derrick, music director of Minda Street Church of Christ.

Derrick organizes the music program for the event. He directs four choruses, teaches music at Minda Street and has headed the program for the past four years.

"It's more of an opportunity to showcase a cappella music, chorus singing and ensemble music," he said. "It's an opportunity to let people see what it's really all about."

To do this, Derrick and other organizers have made some changes.

This year, Derrick invited more solo artists than choruses to help make the event more memorable. Solo artists include Wayburn Dean, former member and lead singer of the group A Cappella, Stephanie Booker and worship leader Paul Williams.

They also formed a community chorus composed of voices from churches all over Abilene including Hillcrest Church of Christ.

Eric Mallet, junior communication and Christian ministry major from St. Louis, went to his first Singing Extravaganza his freshman year as an observer, but the next year and ever since then he has participated in the Minda Street chorus.

"It's a time for people to celebrate and to enjoy a cappella gospel music," Mallet said. "It's a time to bring different congregations together to praise God together as one."

Mallet said the unity the event promotes has made him grateful for his unique style of worship and the worship style of others.

"I look forward to the people we invited to sing," he said. "I love and have a desire to see other people sing, other people who are prominent. It's like the first day of Chapel - so full of life, man."

After the event, solo artists will perform at Monk's Coffee Shop downtown across the street from the Paramount and at the Cypress Street Cafe.

E-mail Knight at: optimist@acu.edu

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