By Greg Silver, Lauren Vissman, and Molly Goldstein
Since 1998, Pastor Victor Bell has been leading the Gospel Choir here at UC Santa Barbara. Each Tuesday night during an ordinary quarter - prior to COVID-19 protective measures - Bell has met with students in the Music building, where the choir practices and rehearses for their quarterly concerts.
Bell discovered his passion for music at a young age in church. His additional talents in writing and teaching eventually led him into the worlds of film and television, where he participated in a number of well-known programs, such as the Steve Harvey Show sitcom and the comedy sketch series Key & Peele.
For many years, the Gospel Choir has been a safe haven for students. As he looks toward the future, Bell hopes the choir can continue to grow and be a place where all people at UCSB can forge meaningful relationships with one another. (Click the preceding link to see a sing-along outside Campbell Hall at the start of the 2018/2019 academic year.)
Please click on the video below to hear Bell speak about his career, his passion for gospel music, and his relationship with his students in the UCSB Gospel Choir.
Greg Silver is a third-year student majoring in Communication. Lauren Vissman is a third-year Biological Sciences major planning on minoring in Scientific Communication. Molly Goldstein is a second-year student double-majoring in Communication and Film and Media Studies.