The Riverside Inspirational Choir Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary With 'A Ministry of Song and Love Lives' at the Riverside Church

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, N.Y., Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --  Marking its 30th anniversary, The Riverside Choir—which critics have called "powerful"—will be joined by New York vocal group, Just Friends and special guest artist, Shelton Becton from the Broadway show Memphis, for a concert on Sunday, February 27 at 3:00 p.m., in the soaring halls of The Riverside Church Nave, 490 Riverside Drive (bet. 120th & 122nd St.), Morningside Heights.

During the special concert The Riverside Inspirational Choir will perform gospel and spiritual works including, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Charles S. Brown), Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (Billy Taylor) and Motherless Child (Traditional).

Nedra Olds-Neal has been the director of the Choir for the last 25 years.  A cum laude graduate of Howard University's School of Music, Olds-Neal has a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Michigan. An accomplished pianist, she has performed extensively as a recitalist and accompanist. Currently, her talents are focused on singing, conducting and producing choral events. In addition, Nedra is an independent producer for Sony Music's Legacy Recordings and Sony Classical labels where she is responsible for reissues of classic American music from Mahalia Jackson to Duke Ellington. She has also produced CDs for Arista Records, Motown Records and Sony Wonder. Nedra sings with the New York Choral Artists. Olds-Neal also conducted the gala and New Year's Eve performances of Alvin Ailey's iconic ballet "Revelations" with Sweet Honey in the Rock in December 2010. She is currently on faculty at Nassau Community College in Long Island.

Tickets are $20.00 general admission and $15 for students and seniors. For more information the public can call 212-870-6722 or visit www.theriversidechurchny.org

The Riverside Church (www.theriversidechurchny.org) is an interracial, interdenominational and international church built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. in 1927.  The 1200-member Riverside Church in Morningside Heights has a rich tradition of providing a forum for important civic and spiritual leaders. Past speakers include: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., President William J. Clinton, the Dalai Lama, Fidel Castro, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.

SOURCE The Riverside Church