Buhlebenkosi Nkomo
BULAWAYO – Gospel musician Wisdom Chawinga is set to bring classic church hymns to the stage when he hosts the Hymns Rekindled Concert at Emganwini Church of the Nazarene on October 3.
The concert, presented by Voices Brands, grew from a YouTube programme of the same name in which Chawinga shared traditional hymns and invited musicians from Bulawayo to perform with him.
Chawinga said the idea of turning the programme into a live concert developed as he reflected on the music that shaped his faith and musical journey.
“Earlier this year when we spoke about ‘Ungu Jehovah’ and the Saviour album, I was in a season of declaring who God is to me personally. ‘Hymns Rekindled’ is a continuation of that journey, but it’s also a step back to go forward,” he said.
Chawinga grew up singing hymns at home, at church and at the Adventist school he attended.
“I grew up listening to and singing hymns at home and at church. They were my first music school. They taught me how to worship, how to write, and how to endure,” he said.
He cited Inqaba Yami from Icilongo Levangeli and Woza Mthombo from the Seventh-day Adventist hymnal among the songs that influenced him. He also credited his mother, whom he described as “an encyclopedia of hymns”, for encouraging his appreciation of the music.
The concert will retain the original lyrics and messages of the hymns while introducing new arrangements incorporating contemporary gospel harmonies, Afro-fusion textures, live band dynamics, and choral performances.
“We start with the hymn’s message and melody, that is non-negotiable. What we add is around it: the instrumentation, the dynamics, the vocal expression,” Chawinga said.
He said the approach is intended to make the hymns accessible to younger listeners without losing their identity for audiences who have known the songs for decades.
“I want a 20-year-old to discover that the hymn their grandmother sang still speaks to their heartbreak, their anxiety, their faith. It’s a bridge between generations,” he said.
The concert will feature Chawinga alongside Bishop R Mpofu, Khonzani Salvin, Prosper Dube, and several gospel choirs and musicians from Bulawayo.
Chawinga said he selected the participating artists based on both their musical abilities and their understanding of the hymns.
“I looked for anointing first, then understanding,” he said. “I wanted worshippers, not just performers.”
Bringing the participating artists and choirs together has required coordination of schedules and rehearsals, while Chawinga said another challenge has been finding the right balance between preserving the traditional character of the hymns and introducing contemporary elements.
He said the response from those involved has been encouraging, with some telling him they had been waiting for such a project.
For Chawinga, the concert is ultimately about creating a worship experience rather than simply presenting a programme of performances.
“I want them to experience God, not just music. I want them to feel at home, to sing along even if it’s their first time, and to leave rekindled, with hope restored,” he said.
He also said the event is not intended to represent a particular denomination.
“It’s not about any church denomination, it’s just about proclaiming God’s goodness anyhow we can,” he said.
Chawinga said Hymns Rekindled represents a different stage in his musical journey from Ungu Jehovah, which he previously described as a declaration of his faith.
“If ‘Ungu Jehovah’ was my declaration, then ‘Hymns Rekindled’ is my surrender,” he said.
