Hosts Cece Winans and Donald Lawrence present the award and check to Greater Mount Calvary Men of Valor for Best Overall Choir onstage during Verizon's How Sweet The Sound 2010 at Verizon Center on September 18, 2010 in Washington, DC. Photo by Michael Loccisano/WireImage for VerizonThe Men of Valor choir from Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church in Northeast walked away with the bragging rights at the conclusion of How Sweet The Sound competition at the Verizon Center on Sat., Sept. 18. As the winner of the regional competition, the 56-member all-male choir will represent the Washington Metropolitan region in the finale scheduled for Sat., Nov. 13 at Verizon.
Under the direction of Elder Cornelius Young, minister of music at Greater Mount Calvary, the choir brought the crowd of approximately 11,298 to their feet with the song, “Available To You.” The near-perfect rendition, coupled with the musical accompaniment, resonated throughout the center and left the audience literally spellbound.
“I was excited to attend the How Sweet The Sound competition again. After listening to all of the great choirs [on the program], I believe the choir that won should have. They came out in large numbers. They performed one of the traditional songs and they did a fantastic job,” said Paul Trantham of the District.
“Whenever you hear men singing and lifting up the name of God, it really says something about God. It does something to our spirits when you see men rejoicing and singing to the glory of God,” he said.
Each of the eight choirs from the District, Baltimore and Virginia were assigned specific songs to perform during the competition. As the various choirs belted out their renditions, some audience members clapped or raised their hands towards the heavens; others stood and simply stared at the choirs in sheer appreciation of their discipline and commitment during the three hour program.
During the Men of Valor’s selection, an audience member could be overheard voicing her utter amazement at the talent that they displayed.
“They’re bad,” she said.
Likewise, friends and members of different congregations, shouted words of support for their respective choirs and favorites when they were introduced.
“We love you,” and Do your thing,” echoed throughout the Verizon Center.
The judges who included Marvin Sapp, Richard Smallwood, and Maurette Brown Clark also enjoyed the performances. They commended the directors for their leadership and they also acknowledged the bands during several of the selections.
“I have never seen that many brothers together sing that good,” Smallwood said following the performance by the Men of Valor.
“You sang under the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Immediately following the program, Verizon Wireless Regional Director Mike Maiorana made the award presentations to the choirs on stage. He presented $10,000 checks to Brydges of Upper Marlboro, Md., -- chosen the best small choir in the region, [choirs with less than 50 members] and the Men of Valor Choir as the winner in the Large Choir category. Men of Valor also won the V-Cast People’s Choice Award -- the choir that received the most text-message votes from those in attendance. As the V-Cast winner, they were awarded an additional $5,000.
“I cannot even describe how it feels. It’s just a wonderful, wonderful feeling,” said Young, as his group gathered to receive their prizes from Verizon.
Young said he was confident that the choir and band were ready for Saturday’s performance during their final rehearsal on Tue., Sept. 14.
“I just felt that everybody was focused and we knew what our purpose was and we were just prepared to come and do it. We just thank God for helping us [tonight].”
The Men of Valor will soon be back in the rehearsal room preparing for the finale in November.
“We are going to rest a little right now,” Young said. “We’ll wait for the instructions about what we will sing, then we will go right back, hit the grind and we expect to do it again in November.”
The competition didn’t disappoint. Ken Harris, his wife Helen and daughter Lauren attended the weekend event and said that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
“I had a really good time. There was a wide variety of the roots of gospel and how it has transformed from call and response to more refined singing,” Ken Harris said.
“When the Men of Valor sang, it was amazing.”
Even the smaller choirs astonished him.
“When they sang it was not what I was used to -- How Sweet The Sound had a wide range of styles -- it was very inspirational,” the Lanham, Md., resident said.
Tickets for Verizon’s How Sweet The Sound finale in November can be purchased on-line through www.Ticketmaster.com, at Ticketmaster outlets, or can be charged through Ticketmaster by calling 800.745.3000. Handicap accessible seating can be purchased by calling 202.661.5065; and TTY 202.661.5066.