Sounds of Faith concert to rock campus this Saturday

Courtesy Farah Dosani
Courtesy Farah Dosani

It’s pretty fitting that the student organization known as JAM is putting on a concert this weekend. The group, more formally referred to as Jews and Muslims, is the primary organizer of Sounds of Faith, a groundbreaking sonic adventure through the music of multiple religions. The multi-faith event will take place this Saturday at the Chapel on Venerable Bede on campus.
Presented by JAM, UM Hillel, Muslim Students of the University of Miami (MSUM) and the Church of the Venerable Bede, the celebration of sound will feature performers from each of the three Abrahamic faiths—Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.  As such, the student-led concert aims to inspire communication and open-mindedness between people of all religions.
Shoshi Gottesman, co-founder of JAM, said that the goal of the event “is to bring together multiple people of multiple religions. It’s a way to gain respect for other people.”
She hopes people will come to, “experience [the music] in surround sound and understand that it’s very strong and holy to certain groups of people.”
Both students and guests from outside the university will perform at the concert. Participating groups include the Christian Baroque Ensemble, Greater Miami Jewish Ensemble, Inspirational Concert Choir, Ismaili Ginan Devotional, Recitation of the Quran and Sufi Poetry and Music Ensemble.
Barrett Johnson, a junior majoring in music education with an emphasis on jazz vocals, is one of the many student performers involved with the concert.
“I’m a Christian and I thought it was a really cool idea because the whole philosophy behind music in my faith is that it’s a unifying art form that speaks to everyone,” Johnson said. “I’m as excited to listen, as I am to participate.”
Though the Sounds of Faith concert is free of charge, the organizers request that audience members donate a minimum of $2 for Haiti relief efforts.
Above all, said Gottesman, “I want people leave the concert with hope.”

Hilary Saunders may be contacted at hsaunders@themiamihurricane.com.

If You Go:

What: Sounds of Faith concert
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Chapel of the Venerable Bede, University of Miami, 1150 Stanford Drive
Cost: Recommended $2 donation for Haiti relief efforts
Hosted by: Jews and Muslims (JAM), UM Hillel, Muslim Students of the Univeristy of Miami (MSUM) and the Church of the Venerable Bede