Children’s Choir Performs Jaw-Dropping Version Of “Down To The River To Pray”

Jun 30, 2020 by apost team

Anyone who has, at any point in their lives, regularly attended church or listened to Christian radio stations will likely recognize the classical hymn, "Down to the River to Pray." On its own, this song can be moving - it focuses on the impacts and importance of spirituality during difficult times - but when performed by three members of the Rise UP Children's Choir, it becomes something of a spiritual movement in and of itself.

The Rise UP Children's Choir consists of children anywhere from the ages of six years old to 18 years old. Three sisters, all of which are members of this children's choir, decided to tackle their own project within the choir and cover Down to the River to Pray in an incredibly well-done music video. The arrangement and the accompanying video feature the three sisters - Lydia, Isabel, and Lyla.

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Each of the sisters is wearing a beautiful white dress, which is meant to be a representation of the purity of their faith. They gather around a local river, where they perform the song without musical accompaniment, initially. Using only their voices, the children brought this classical song to life in a way that many adults could not fathom.

From start to finish, the video, music, and lyrics create a feeling of empowerment. With basic choreography consisting primarily of the girls walking towards and away from the camera, powerful imagery is conveyed through the simplicity of the video itself. Additionally, the editing that allowed this beautiful music video to come to be is gorgeous, telling the story of the importance of faith, especially during the darkest of times. 

For many, this song is more powerful now than it was ever. The original hymn is meant to encourage others to pray and worship collectively - even when we are all apart from each other - to make a difference in the world. It suggests that the understanding of faith and religion, especially in trying times, can provide comfort, guidance, and closure for events that are difficult to understand and comprehend.

Considering the gorgeous and harmonical melody the three girls are able to carry, it's clear they practiced and worked for hours to perfect their performance of the hymn. By simply watching their facial expressions throughout the course of the video, it's clear that they feel that this piece is as moving to them as it is to us.

The three sisters understand that despite how easy it is to feel depressed, isolated, lonely, or anxious amid the confusion and chaos that's currently surrounding us, there is still hope. Faith, for many, is a beacon of light and a sign of hope - it's like feeling at home, and the three girls portray this wonderfully in their rendition of the classic hymn.

Ultimately, these three sisters have absolutely gorgeous voices. They use them to provide us with a reminder we could all use - even in times of darkness, there's always hope. We are connected, as individuals. It's important that we all understand that now, and these girls wanted to remind us in a way that only their voices could. Their take on this song is full of faith, inspiration, and love. 

Did you find the performance as moving as we did? While not everyone believes in faith and religion, we can all understand the need for community and connection - which is difficult at the moment. Let us know if you think these girls did a great job of reminding us all that no matter the circumstances, there's still hope.