About Us

NOVARA GOSPEL FESTIVAL, organized by Brotherhood Gospel Choir under the artistic direction and organization of Paolo Viana and Sonia Turcato, celebrates its 10th edition this year. In June 2013 in Verona, the choir received for the second year running a Gospel Music Award as THE BEST GOSPEL EVENT IN ITALY, an important recognition and indication of its past commitments evident in the past editions, in which various globally important and renowned contemporary Gospel artists like  Kirk Franklin, Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Myron Butler, Kurt Carr, Jonathan Nelson, 21:03, J. Moss, Micah Stampley, Israel Houghton & New Breed..

The 2014 edition was officially launched last spring with the WORKSHOP, held for the seventh  year consecutively  by the extraordinary British vocal coach Wayne Ellington. Divided into 5 sessions, spread out between April and September, the Workshop has enjoyed a great success again this year. The 100 participants from all over Northern Italy and Switzerland,  will perform at the opening of the second evening of the festival in September.

In May 2013, the event kicked off with a new touring exhibition, the NOVARA GOSPEL IN TOUR, choosing Milan as the first place to host the concert event "Israel Houghton & New Breed", one of the biggest and most acclaimed artists of the world Gospel, and winner of numerous awards, including five Grammys, 13 Dove, Stellar 2, one Soul Train Award and 2 Gold-Selling Albums. The artist, for the first time in Italy and exclusively national,  performed on stage at the "Teatro della Luna", and encountered great success.

The most important moment of the tenth edition will be CONCERTS of 26 and 27 September at the "Teatro Rosmini" Borgomanero:

On Friday 26, Brotherhood’s traditional concert  will be accompanied by the extraordinary voice of  Wendell Simpkins from New York (vocalist of the Harlem Gospel Choir and Inspirational Choir Of Harlem) and other surprise guests among the most representative of the contemporary gospel scene.

On Saturday 27, there will be the performance of the NGF Workshop Choir, masterfully directed by Wayne Ellington, to be followed by the queen of British gospel Lurine Cato, for a whole concert with her singers and her band. The artist, winner of the prestigious MOBO, BEFFTA, Praisetek and Gospel Music Awards, one of the most exciting and influential voices of Contemporary Gospel, will perform with a special guest, the young and talented British artist with an angelic voice, Israel J. Allen.

Once again, two unmissable extraordinary evenings!

The festival will finalize on Sunday, September 28 with an interesting VOICE MASTERCLASS conducted by Wayne Ellington.   Alongside the now traditional workshops, interesting voice training sessions like the Masterclass held by the American Myron Butler in 2013 and one conducted by Lurine Cato last May, continue to enrich the main event.

The festival offers concert performances of very high artistic quality every year, in addition to the precious enjoyable moments of worship coherent with the meaning of the genre that it offers the audience.  Gospel actually means "God’s word" , good news.  What songs by these great artists, whose lyrics are inspired by prayers, psalms and passages of the Gospel, clearly reflect the intention of spreading a message of peace, contemplation, freedom and hope, through a universal language that knows no limits and boundaries: that of music

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The organizing team of Novara Gospel Festival, wishes to thank the Fondazione CRT and all the partners who have supported the event. A special thanks to the Town of Borgomanero for the support and to the Town of Cerano for permission to utilize Crespi Hall Auditorium to host  the first four sessions of the Workshops and some Masterclasses.

PRODUCTION:
Brotherhood Gospel Choir Association

ART DIRECTION AND ORGANIZING:
Paolo Viana and Sonia Turcato

Presenter:
Marco Ottavio Graziano

Communication and Image Co-ordination: Sonia Turcato, Artimmagine
International public relations: Paolo Viana, Giulia Violini
Communication and Press Office: Marco Ottavio Graziano
Translation: Giulia Violini, Josephine Kasera
Project supervisor: Martin Isolabella
Reception and Hospitality: Caterina Zadra, NonSoloTrekking

WITH THE SUPPORT OF:
Fondazione CRT, Icos Immobiliare, Concliente, Vetreria Azzimonti Paolino, Mirato, Comune di Borgomanero, Comune di Cerano, ATL della Provincia di Novara, Radio Onda Novara, Teatro Rosmini, 301 Avenue, 301 Motivi.