The Richard Smallwood Gospel Retrospective.

Includes performance as part of the Headline Concert and recording with the Southern Gospel Choir.

Spanning over 50 years, the music of Richard Smallwood, alongside James Cleveland and Edwin Hawkins, paved the way for and became the driving force behind the ‘new’ contemporary gospel music from the 1970’s to the present day.The influence of Smallwood’s music is immense, but at the heart of his music are the inspirational musicianship, arrangements, musical direction and production of Steven Ford. Now undertaking his PhD at the University of Tasmania with Associate Professor Legg, Steven Ford will act as a consultant with Andrew Legg and Maria Lurighi teaming up to facilitate and produce a landmark recording and concert series – a retrospective of the music of Richard Smallwood.

This workshop will create a gospel choir who will have the unique opportunity to be a part of this international project by participating in performing and recording some of Smallwood’s most loved tunes including : Anthem of Praise; Psalm 8; Total Praise and one of Steven Ford’s original compositions Faith To Believe. 

Thirty years in the making, Steven Ford (Richard Smallwood/Fred Hammond/the Winans), Andrew Legg (Myron Butler/Kirk Franklin/Michael Spiby/UTAS Southern Gospel Choir), and Maria Lurighi (Voice Lecturer at UTAS since 1999 and Coordinator of Voice since 2012 at UTAS since 1999) have forged a remarkable musical and personal relationship, underpinning and reinventing the contemporary gospel music tradition in Australia.