Ohio Choral Directors Association

College, community and congregational choirs from northern Ohio came together in Oberlin's historic Finney Chapel on Sunday, October 10, 2010. Continuing the tradition of leadership by nationally-known choral directors, this fifth festival was directed by the Rev. Nolan Williams, Jr., an Oberlin alumnus and chief music editor of the African American Heritage Hymnal (GIA 2001). Williams' choir "Voices of Inspiration" based in Washington, DC was joined by The Oberlin College Choir and Voices for Christ to lead. The theme of this year's festival, drawing upon Williams' expertise, was "African American Theology in Praxis: Singing God's Story...and Ours!" and highlighted the African American hymnological traditions of spirituals, gospel and jazz as well as traditional historic hymn melodies.