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Charleston’s Lowcountry Voices returns to Albemarle on March 9 for a free concert at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Albemarle High School, 311 Park Ridge Road, Albemarle.

Lowcountry Voices, under the direction of Nathan L. Nelson, will present “Black Broadway,” a musical revue which includes selections of classic and modern musical theater favorites from “The Wiz,” “The Color Purple, “Porgy and Bess,” “Sister Act” and more.

This free concert is a gift to the community in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stanly County Arts Council.

“Last year, the Lowcountry Voices received rave reviews after awing the audience with their vocal talents. Everyone pleaded to have them return to Albemarle. Our board decided this was the perfect way to kick off our 50th anniversary. We are beyond thrilled to bring a choir of this caliber to our community and be uplifted with the arts,” said Renee VanHorn, dxecutive director of the Stanly County Arts Council.

Lowcountry Voices debuted “Black Broadway,” its biggest production yet, to a Charleston’s Piccolo Spoleto audience in May 2023.

A longtime artistic goal of Nelson, “Black Broadway” was inspired by shows and performances of African-American composers, lyricists and singers.

“Black Broadway” brings the joy of musical theater to the Stanly County community by way of some of the most talented singers and performers in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

“By partnering with Albemarle High School, we can also showcase the recently renovated auditorium in the Albemarle High School,” VanHorn said.

Lowcountry Voices is a community performing arts organization based in North Charleston that draws members from across the region. LCV performs all genres in the choral repertoire with a special emphasis on African-American music, including Black gospel, spirituals and jazz, as they were nurtured and performed in the SC Lowcountry.

While the choir is based in North Charleston since its inception 10 years ago, its members are drawn from across the entire Lowcountry region and as far away as Rock Hill and Columbia.

A native Charlestonian, Nelson began playing drums at age 8, and by age 13 he was organizing and directing local gospel and school choirs. From 2008 through 2012, he was the director of the CSO Spiritual Ensemble and associate director of the CSO Gospel Choir. He is called upon to conduct choral clinics for church musicians, choral groups and orchestras and also helps initialize and enhance church music departments.

The Stanly County Arts Council was founded in 1974. It continues to promote and support all art forms in the community. Its mission is to encourage and promote broad-based cultural and educational activities in the arts throughout Stanly County.

The Stanly County Arts Council is supported by private donations and by the NC Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.