Posted November 8, 2002
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Sing to the LORD a new song,
Sing His praise from the end of the earth!
You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it.
You islands, and those who dwell on them.
Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices,
The settlements where Kedar inhabits.
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the LORD
And declare His praise in the coastlands. André McRae came from Philadelphia to study opera at Cincinnati's College Conservatory of Music (CCM), but God had bigger plans for his life. He hadn't been on campus two weeks when a non-Christian friend handed him a flyer that a disciple had given him, and on September 28, 1993 André was converted into Christ.
From a professional standpoint, André has kept pretty busy. During that time he received his B.M. from CCM in Voice Performance. In 2000, he received his M.M. in Voice. He also earned an Artist's Diploma in Opera this year, but is now focusing on Musical Theater. Between degree's he has been very active. He has worked as a singing waiter at Vito's Café in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. He has appeared in the world premier of Seasons in Hell, played Don Pedro in Berlioz's Beatrice and Benedict, Reverend Hale in the opera The Crucible, and has played the leading role in David Marmot's Duck Variations and in his last CCM opera before graduating, The Ballad of Baby Doe. André is also a frequent concert soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He is a "Yuletone" in their Christmas variety show at the Taft Theater, Home for the Holidays. André has also worked extensively with the Cincinnati church's AMP and Campus Ministries. André musically directed the AMP Theatre Company's 1997 and 1999 productions of Godspell. He has also performed in numerous church productions, including the two productions of Godspell, You're The Top: A Tribute to the Music of Cole Porter in 1998, that he also musically directed, and the 2001 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. André has served as a family group leader, zone leader, ministry intern, and has lead the Single's ministry. Now after nearly a decade of serving the city of Cincinnati, André is preparing to advance his career. He plans on leaving the comfort of Cincinnati, and venture to "a new world" for "a new beginning." He plans to take Isaiah 42 to heart, and sing his praises from the coastlands; the "Big Apple" -- New York City, no later than June, 2003. You can show your support by helping André launch his career by attending a musical showcase that will be held at the Cincinnati church building at 8:00 p.m. on November 15th and 16th, 2002, and making a generous donation to his moving fund. No admission. Donations only. Come and enjoy a highly entertaining evening of songs from Ragtime, Big River, and the tunes of Cole Porter, Steven Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown, featuring André and a host of other CCM graduates. This is an event you cannot miss! Click here for a one minute video sample of what you will hear (1.3Mb mpg file.) |
Nine years later, André, who is recognized for spending a record amount of time in the Cincinnati Church's Campus Ministry, is finally ready to move on. That's not to imply that he's been slouching around for the last decade.