University Gospel Choir will host its annual spring concert Friday at 7 p.m. at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.
Gospel Extravaganza, an event co-sponsored by Student Government Productions, will feature Ricky Dillard, a gospel recording artist and director of the Grammy Award-nominated New Generation Chorale. It is one of the Black Student Union’s events for Black History Month.
“By the term ‘extravagant,’ it’s big in the sense that it’s in a big location. We have big voices and we’re expecting a big amount of people,” said Courtney Amaro, the choir’s special events coordinator.
This year’s venue has 1,700 seats, and the choir’s Vice President Alton Edmond wants to fill each one.
Friday’s event will be one of the largest gospel celebrations held in the Gainesville area in nearly five years, said Cortney Whitlow, the choirs public relations director.
Dillard was paid about $8,000 to perform and to be a guest director at Gospel Extravaganza, Amaro said.
Student Government gave the gospel choir a $10,000 grant to help pay, she said.
“We chose him because he’s a crowd teaser,” Amaro said. “He’s been at this for almost 20 years. He is capable, available and willing.”
