All you need to know about Tema Choir USA

In November, 2019, Mr. Allotey founded Tema Choir USA, Inc. Tema Choir USA, Inc. (TC USA) takes its root from the famous Ghanaian Choral group, Tema Youth Choir (TYC).

Following the relocation of the founder of TYC, Ebenezer A. Allotey, to the United States from Ghana, TC USA was founded to sustain and build upon its sister Choir’s praiseworthy feats.

MISSION: The mission of the Tema Choir USA, Inc. is to create community, foster unity and build a better world through music.

VISION:

To create and nurture a diverse community through singing and performing together.To develop the musical skills and talents of volunteer, non - auditioned singers through the discipline of learning and performing high quality Choral music.

To use Choral music performances as a pathway for social change and nurturing cultural interactions.

To perform charity benefit concerts to support the homeless and the less privileged in the community.

To bring emotional and spiritual healing through music and singing to residents of Senior Assisted Living Centers.

To organize and perform charity benefit concerts and events, with the aim of assisting deprived schools in Ghana with educational materials.

Internationally recognized musician, conductor and educator, Ebenezer A. Allotey is well-known for his work as organist and Founder/Director of the Presbyterian Senior Secondary School Choir in Tema-Ghana founded in June 1997, as well as the Founder and Artistic Director of the Tema Youth Choir. Founded in November 2001, the Tema Youth Choir is currently known as one of the top choirs in Ghana, and a recipient of the Ceval Gospel Award.

As part of efforts to raise awareness about the pandemic "Coronavirus" the Tema Choir USA (TC USA) has come out with a heartwarming song as their contribution to Global awareness and education on the pandemic. The song is hoped to stem the spread of the disease and to reassure the global community that their own efforts will play a pivotal role in curbing the extent of the virus. Using music as a way of communication and education, President George Weah of Liberia has joined the efforts with a new song released as his quota towards the global conscientization.

Tema Choir USA under the renowned musicologist Ebenezer A. Allotey, in recent times graced the various Assisted Living facilities in the Washington metro areas with melodious tunes to soothe the hearts of the staff and residents. Their music has provided the healing therapy missing in a persons life. They have been embraced wherever they performed. The Coronavirus song was composed by Newlove Kojo Annan for Tema Choir USA, Inc.

Tema Choir USA, Inc is a non-profit organization established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and operating under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.

A contemporary community Choir, the Tema Youth Choir (TYC) was founded in November, 2001 under the direction of Mr. Ebenezer A. Allotey. Tema Youth Choir is an award-winning, internationally renowned, youth choir with five popular recorded compact disc (CD) albums. It has about 50 members ranging from 18 to 28 years.

Tema Youth Choir holds regular quarterly concerts each year. The first Quarter concerts are normally Easter concerts; 2nd Quarter concerts are Western Choral Classicals; 3rd Quarter concerts, African/ Ghanaian Contemporary Choral Classics; and the 4th Quarter Concerts, Christmas Concert or Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.

In addition to being a Choir of choice for national functions, it has performed at annual events of various international embassies in Ghana. Prominent among these have been the following: the embassies of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy. Others are the embassy of Denmark and the High Commission of the United Kingdom. It has also undertaken joint performances with foreign Choirs visiting Ghana like Choirs from Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), the Fisk University Jubilee Singers (Nashville, Tennessee), Morgan State University Choir (Baltimore, Maryland), and the Mokoyaala Choir from Germany.

Apart from the Choir engaging in quarterly concerts, (TYC) was performing from time to time at private, public, corporate and national functions. The following are the Choirs significant engagements over the years:


25th Wedding Anniversary of Ghana's Former President & Mrs. Jerry John Rawlings (10/09/02)
Birthday Party of Ghana's Former President John Agyekum Kufour (12/08/02) & (12/08/04)
Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Peace and Social Justice by the US Embassy, Accra at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Center. (01/15/06)
The State Dinner Reception of H. E. Junichiro Koizumi, Former Prime Minister of Japan, at the Accra International Conference Center. (05/02/06)
Ceval Gospel Awards, Finalist Nominee for Best Choral Group at the Royal House Chapel Int. Ahenfie, Accra. (11/18/06)
The State Dinner Reception of H.E. the Former President John Agyekum Kufour for H. E. Mr. George W. Bush, Former President of the United States of America at the State House Accra. (02/20/08)
The CNN Multichoice Africa Journalist Awards at the State House, Accra. (07/19/08).

In 2008, Mr. Allotey relocated to the United States. Over the years, he has served as the Music Director/Organist for Ghana Calvary United Methodist Church, Montrose, NJ, St. Catherine of Genoa Catholic Church, Brooklyn, NY, Ghana Wesley United Methodist Church, Woodbridge, VA, and Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge, VA.

Through Mr. Allotey, (TYC) was invited to the United States of America three times as ambassadors of African music to build bridges between people of different cultural backgrounds, thereby promoting religious, educational, and cultural exchanges between the rich blends of cultures in the States. (2013, 2014 and 2017)