Georgia Mass Choir to sing at Rozsa Center The Georgia Mass Choir will perform traditional gospel music at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25, in the Rozsa Center on the Michigan Tech campus. (Photo courtesy Michigan Technological University) HOUGHTON ’Äì The Georgia Mass Choir, one of the leading gospel choirs in the United States, comes to the Rozsa Center at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 25, to present an evening of lively, soul-stirring, traditional gospel music. The concert is the last in the series celebrating Black History Month and highlighting jazz and gospel, two of the major contributions African Americans have made to the tapestry of American music. Founded in 1983 by the Reverend Milton Biggham, the Georgia Mass Choir has recorded eight albums ’Äì all gospel chart hits ’Äì and many hit singles. They've received many awards, as well as Grammy, Dove and Stellar nominations. Although already well known in the field of gospel, the choir made their debut on the national scene when they appeared alongside Whitney Houston in the movie The Preacher's Wife. Said Biggham, "This was the first time in the history of gospel music that a real choir was used to such an extent in a major film." Director Penny Marshall and producer Robert Greenhut auditioned many choirs, but chose the group for their outstanding "charisma" and in Marshall 's words, "the joy on their faces when they sing." The spirit the group brought to the set was contagious, and crew members and extras found themselves clapping their hands and stomping their feet. Conductor Biggham was used as a consultant on the movie to make sure that the music and the church appeared authentic. Following the movie's release, the choir appeared on Good Morning America and on Saturday Night Live with Whitney Houston. The choir figured prominently in the celebrations for the Olympic Games in 1996 and has since appeared in TV specials and other programs. They have also been featured in numerous publications including Billboard, Jet, Ebony and Gospel Today. The Black History Month series also includes performances by the South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Feb. 17 and, on Feb. 24, by the Frank Mantooth Quartet with the outstanding African American jazz trumpeter and vocalist Byron Stripling. Tickets for the Georgia Mass Choir are available from Rozsa Center Ticketing Services (487-3200, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday) or online at www.tickets.mtu.edu. The visit of the Georgia Mass Choir is made possible by funding from the James and Margaret Black Endowment and the MTU Committee for Campus Enrichment and sponsored by Rick and Randi Brown. The Great Events Series is coordinated by the MTU University Cultural Enrichment Department (487-2844).