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Chris Adwar and Mike Nyaoke conceived the Voices United Choir idea in 1998. Both were then leading two distinct choirs, the Heavenly Voices Choir of Chrisco Church and the Fortress Youth Fellowship Choir of the Nairobi Pentecostal Church, Valley Road. After meeting at a concert the two thought since they were doing the same thing with their choirs, it would be a good idea to incorporate them specifically for a joint concert. And hence came the name Voices United Choir. After the series of concerts at NPC Valley RD. NPC Woodley and Chrisco Church, it was time to split back into the 2 former choirs. But that was not to be. VUC became an entity of its own and have since been together with members from other churches joining. The average age of the members is twenty-five and the membership currently stands at forty, making them one of the largest choirs in the country. There are six tenors, twelve altos and eleven sopranos. The choir also has a full band consisting of nine instrumentalists. Even with so many of them having left the country they still do keep in touch and know of the goings on of the choir despite the distance. VUC is under the spiritual leadership of Pastor Patrick Kuchio of NPC Woodley and Pastor Aggrey Ayiro of Kingdom Life Centre (KLC). VUC also has the group leadership of Abraham Ayiro, Chris Adwar (the music director) and Vivian Ashioya.
THE VOICES UNITED CHOIR STORY
Most members of the choir are in the working group bracket and their professions vary from lawyers to marketers to administrative assistants to IT specialists, to teachers, to some in the hospitality industry to scientific researchers to music producers to even others in the media field. How do they balance between singing and their regular jobs? They get a lot of support from bosses who realize they are actually living out the Christian life at the work place. They believe in sacrifice; they own VUC and it is a deep calling. They meet twice a week: for Bible Study to nourish their souls, establish a firm foundation in the Word & uplift each other; and for regular choir practice.
It also taught them that it is not about which church you attend (the deceased were all from different churches), which congregation you belong to; it is all a matter of understanding that we serve one God, believe in the same Word, and this has changed a mindset of many as they see unity working through the choir despite different church backgrounds. There are four new members who have since joined. The accident was a major setback but the choir is picking up from where they left, and there is healing, and they have come to recognize this as a part of fulfilling their destiny and purpose on this earth acknowledging God's sovereignty in all situations of life. Death knocked so close, but they are daring to carry on the legacy. The choir members who passed on are Jonathan Tippey (tenor and keyboard player), Victor Ofula (bass guitarist), James Mwaniki (tenor), Carol Mwikali (soprano), Anne Muthee (soprano), Carol Njuguna (soprano), and Agnes Mwakesi (soprano). VUC have curtain raised for both the Parachute Band of New Zealand and Rebecca Malope of South Africa on their separate tours of Kenya. They also performed at the inaugural Standard Chartered Bank, Nairobi marathon (2003), amongst innumerable other invitations. The choir has also won the Family Media Battle of the Choirs title in 2000, the 2002 Coca-Cola Christmas Cantata award and voted best Choir in the Groove Awards 2004. VUC is not all about the show. They discern what God would have them say and not necessarily what people want to hear. There are times new songs have been learnt while performing. It's all about giving God His space&it's all as a result of worship. VUC launched their second album 'Lamo' ( a Luo word for Praise/Pray ) on the 3rd of September 2005.
Voices United Choir
Saint P Age: 22 Singles: Maisha Yangu Hometown: Dondora {/xtypo_rounded_right3} |
VUC has evolved over the years and in its 7th year of existence. VUC has two albums, the first being 'And it came to pass'. VUC has over 100 songs in their gallery.They do live performances; a policy they prefer to follow rather than playing back tracks. They have performed in various churches in Nairobi, e.g Nairobi Baptist Church, NPC Churches (Ngong, Valley Rd. Woodley, Parklands, Karen), Chrisco churches, International Christian Centre, to name but a few. Missions to other towns have included Kisumu Pentecostal Church, JCC Mombasa, Mombasa Pentecostal Church, Nakuru DC, and a number of universities namely Egerton University, Kabarak University, Daystar University, Africa Nazarene University as well as high schools which include Nakuru High School, Alliance Girls and Boys High School, Limuru Girls, State House Girls Kenya High, and the list goes on. VUC's aim in its ministry is to enrich lives through their music as they encourage the body of Christ.
The VUC story is not complete without the mention of the Konza tragedy that claimed seven of its members. Voices United Choir were to travel last year April to Mombasa under the invite of Mombasa Pentecostal Church to take part in a series of concerts hosted by the said church. A majority of the members opted to travel Thursday night (April 1st) while the rest would join in on the Friday travel. There was loads of excitement despite this not being the first trip for them to the Coast. It is while driving past the Konza ranch that is a few kilometers from Machakos junction, that there was a frontal tire burst and the bus veered off the road and overturned a couple of times, finally resting upside down. The magnitude of the accident was not felt until bodies started being removed from the mangled wreckage. Six VUC members died on the spot while the seventh one died three days later in hospital. A couple of others got injured and others escaped unhurt. This road accident had a double effect on the choir. Initially there was a lot of despair, but over time, they have learnt that VUC's greatest achievement has been to see that God has favored them so much as to be together this long even after their darkest moment. Even having the support of the deceased family members urging the choir to carry on with singing, is a major boost. It is a source of inspiration not only to them to many others that see them passionately serving God after that incident. 
