Music: The Renewal Choir

Choir director Kim Samuels sees Gospel choirs as a music form that is accessible to people from all backgrounds and which has a positive effect on many levels – confidence, community, encouragement, health and faith – to mention a few. This all takes place not through the music alone but also through the positive message that the genre brings. Renewal Choir is a well-established community gospel choir based in Bristol founded by Kim and Vernon Samuels in 2005. There are over 80 choir members ranging from the young to the young at heart. Under the leadership of Kim, the choir has performed in various public events such as the 2016 BBC National Music Day, 2016 Leona Lewis UK Tour in Bristol and Cardiff and the Bristol Harbour Side Festival, local and national television, most recently on BBC Points West on the run up to Christmas. The overarching vision of Renewal Choir is to inspire and positively impact the lives of those exposed to the choir’s performances. While we push for excellence in all we do, we also remain grounded as a truly grass roots organisation on a mission to expose audiences and our membership to vibrant, uplifting gospel music experiences. As well as serving as choir director for the Renewal Choir, Kim Samuels is conductor for the UWE Bristol Gospel Choir as well as a member of and occasional conductor for The Kingdom Choir, founded by her sister, Karen Gibson, dubbed “Britain’s Godmother of Gospel”. http://renewalchoir.org