🎥 How I Got Over — A Gospel Moment from AfterGlow’s Healing & Heart
- AfterGlow Chorus
- Nov 4
- 3 min read
A performance that lifted the room — and carries us into the holidays
Before the season fills with carols and celebration, take a moment to revisit one of AfterGlow Chorus’s most powerful performances: Aretha Franklin’s “How I Got Over.”
Filmed live at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland during our August 2025 concert Healing & Heart, this performance captures everything that defines AfterGlow — passion, precision, and a deep sense of purpose through song.
The Story Behind the Song
“How I Got Over” was originally composed by Clara Ward, later immortalized by Aretha Franklin in her iconic 1972 album Amazing Grace.
It’s a song born from gospel tradition — a testament to perseverance, faith, and the triumph of the human spirit. In AfterGlow’s hands, it became a shared act of remembrance and renewal, performed in honor of patients, caregivers, and the loved ones who walk beside them.
The arrangement builds from quiet conviction to full-throated joy — with call-and-response, soaring harmonies, and the kind of spiritual freedom that turns performance into revelation.
“An electric moment of faith and song — I left the building uplifted.”— Audience Member, Healing & Heart
Music That Connects and Heals
The Healing & Heart concert reminded us that music’s truest power lies in connection — the courage to face hardship, the compassion to stand with others, and the courage to keep singing.
That same energy carries us now into our upcoming holiday program, A Not So Silent Night. Where Healing & Heart reflected on compassion and care, A Not So Silent Night celebrates light and joy — a seasonal outpouring of choral brilliance rooted in soul, gospel, and classic carols.
If you’ve been searching for holiday concerts in Oakland or Bay Area choir concerts that speak to both the spirit and the season, AfterGlow’s upcoming performances belong at the top of your list.
A Glimpse of What’s Ahead: A Not So Silent Night
Join AfterGlow Chorus this December for two luminous evenings of music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland.
📅 Concert Dates
Sunday, December 7 at 4:00 PM — 🎟 Get Tickets for Dec 7
Saturday, December 13 at 7:30 PM — 🎟 Get Tickets for Dec 13
✨ Experience gospel joy, choral artistry, and holiday music reimagined — sung by one of the Bay Area’s most dynamic choirs.
Thinking About Singing With AfterGlow?
For those inspired by the artistry and emotion of “How I Got Over,” there’s another way to be part of the AfterGlow experience: join us.
We’re always seeking skilled, passionate singers to audition for future seasons. If you’re looking for Bay Area choir auditions where high-level singing meets community and purpose, AfterGlow may be the home you’ve been seeking.
Why We Sing
“How I Got Over” reminds us why we do what we do — not just to perform, but to connect.To bridge faith and artistry, challenge and joy, voice and heart.
As we prepare for A Not So Silent Night, this song continues to echo within us — a musical reminder of resilience, unity, and the power of shared harmony through every season.
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