TBR — Nine-time Grammy Award winner Kirk Franklin, has been tapped to compose the Official Song of the 2012 World Choir Games and perform it at the Opening Ceremony.
“To have someone as accomplished as Kirk Franklin involved in the World Choir Games speaks to the allure and stature of this magical event,” said Dan Lincoln, president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau and director of the Cincinnati Organizing Committee for the 2012 World Choir Games.
Sponsored by Procter & Gamble Co., Franklin will perform at the Opening Ceremony, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4, at U.S. Bank Arena. Also performing at the Opening Ceremony will be the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and May Festival Chorus.
“I’m excited to be part of such a significant global event that is drawing choirs from around the world to Cincinnati, Ohio, and to the United States,” said Kirk Franklin. “I am also excited to engage with the choirs and choral music fans as part of the 2012 World Choir Games.”
The World Choir Games, the largest international choral competition in the world, will be in North America for the first time from July 4-14. Close to 15,000 participants, including 368 choirs, from 60 countries are registered for the event. This year marks the 7th World Choir Games, which has previously been held in Austria, China, Germany and South Korea. Tickets to the World Choir Games events are on sale at www.2012worldchoirgames.com/tickets.
Franklin is the biggest-selling contemporary gospel artist in the history, according to SoundScan, with more than 14 million albums sold to date and more than 20 No. 1 singles on gospel radio. He has won nine GRAMMY® Awards, 39 Stellar Awards, 16 Dove Awards, eight NAACP Image Awards, two BET Music Awards, an American Music Award, a Soul Train Award, among others. For more information about Kirk Franklin, visit www.kirkfranklin.com.
Courtesy of www.thebellereport.net www.twitter.com/thebellereport
