Altar of Praise (ALTOP), the resident choir of the Pentecost International Worship Centre in the Downtown Ofaakor Area (PIWC-Downtown Ofaakor), were crowned overall winners of the recently-held national youth music contest.
The 16-member group earned great plaudits after treating patrons to some moving song ministrations during the grand finale held at the PIWC-Atomic church auditorium last Sunday.
The music contest, a first of its kind, was organised by the Youth Ministry directorate in line with the five-year strategic vision of the church, dubbed “Vision 2023.”
According to the Youth Director, Pastor Ebenezer Hagan, the objective of the competition was to “encourage the music ministries of young people and to create space for it in the local assemblies and by so doing improve the quality of music in the local church.”
With “Unleashing Gifts, Serving the Local Church, Possessing Nations” as the theme for the contest, the contesting groups were evaluated on four focal areas – gospel songwriting, cost-effective musical presentation, teamwork in music, and packaging local church music for a wider audience.
The contest kickstarted at the district level on February 21, 2021, with great promise and overwhelming public interest. At the end of this stage, 460 districts presented choirs to compete at the area level on April 11. However, after a close competition, 60 choirs qualified for the regional or zonal levels.
On May 9, festive contests were held at eight centres throughout the country, after which 12 choirs emerged as semi-finalists. After a rigorous voting process by the judges and the public (via social media), seven choirs were selected to compete at the final stage of the competition. These choirs were: Sanctuary Singers of Ashaiman Estate Central Assembly, Revelation Ministers of PIWC-Tamale and Valley of Blessing of PIWC-Sunyani.
The rest were: Tabernacle of Praise of PIWC-Akim Oda, Triumphant Levites of PIWC-Winneba, PIWC-Kotei Youth Choir and the eventual winners, Altar of Praise (ALTOP), representing the northern, middle, and southern belts.
Opening their ministration with a song titled “Sunsum Kronkron Mehia Wo” (Translated: Holy Spirit I Need You), ALTOP made a lasting impression on the panel of judges with their song composition and vocal ability. They dazzled the audience in the second round of the contest with another outstanding ministration leading to their historic win.
The judges for this year’s contest were: Mrs. Grace Gakpetor (Member of the National Music Committee, a prolific songwriter, and a singer), Pastor Joshua Kwabena Donkor (Head of the Youth Ministry Music Committee and a recording artist) and Pastor Fred Amoakohene Sarpong (Lecturer in Church Music & Worship at Pentecost University and member of the National Music Committee).
Elder Isaac Dwamena (Music Coordinator, PIWC-Atomic) and Mr. Wisdom Taylor (a Music Tutor at Gbewaa College of Education, Pusiga and the Music Director at Mountain View Worship Centre, Kasoa) also served as adjunct judges.
As winners, ALTOP took home a certificate, plaque, and a cash prize of GH¢3,000.00. The Tabernacle of Praise choir and Sanctuary Singers, who emerged second and third respectively, received a certificate, plaque, and cash amounts of GH¢2,000.00 and GH¢1,500.00.
Other group finalists received certificates and an amount of GH¢500.00 each.
Present to grace the event and assist with the presentation of prizes were Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi (General Secretary), Apostle Emmanuel Agyemang-Bekoe (IMD-elect), Apostle Samuel Osei Asante (National Youth Patron and Executive Council Member), and Prophet David Kankam (Ashaiman Area Head and Executive Council Member)
Other dignitaries present were Pastor Emmanuel Oppong Donkor (Member, National Music Committee), Pastor Seth Asare Ofei Badu (National Youth Music Contest Coordinator and member of National Music Committee) and Pastor Isaac Annor (Resident Minister, PIWC-Downtown Ofaakor and Publications Manager at the CoP Headquarters). Also in attendance was the immediate-past chairman of the National Music Committee, Apostle A. L. Angoh (Rtd.) and renowned gospel musician, Elder Dr. Kwasi Mireku.
Formed in 2009, the Altar of Praise (ALTOP) choir currently has Elder James Afful as its leader, while Godwin M. Dentu and Kofi Peprah serve as Music Directors. Other members of the group are Elder Samuel Adu Gyamfi, Deacon Godlove K. Dentu, Nana Kojo Sika Adu, Samuel Qwodjo Mensah, Ato Lutterodt, Emmanuel Osafo Addo, Charles Osei, Marian Dentu, Abigail Omari, Gloria Essel, Joana Naa Suelley Tetteh, Abigail Blankson and Stephenia Amponsah.
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