GREENEVILLE – A wonderful blend of songs touching on earth and heaven, including “This Land Is Your Land” and ‘Hallelujah Chorus,” will bring joy to the audience at the Tusculum University Community Chorus’ spring concert.
The group will perform Monday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Marilyn duBrisk Theatre inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center. Titled “All Earth and Heaven,” the concert will feature a piece from a former Jonesborough resident and another from Tennessee as the chorus performs some songs that will be familiar to the audience and others that will expand people’s musical horizons.
The concert is free, but donations are welcome. Seating is general admission, and no tickets are needed.
“This will be a lovely evening for the community to absorb and enjoy terrific music from our chorus,” said Kathy May, the director and conductor. “Our rehearsals have been strong, and the chorus is excited to perform in front of an audience again. We will have a nice mix of faster-paced songs with others that are more deliberate. Be sure to join us for a good time.”
Here is the lineup of songs:
“It’s a Grand Night for Singing” by Rodgers and Hammerstein and arranged by Williams Stickles
“This Land Is Your Land” by Woodie Guthrie and arranged by Robert DeCormier
“Even When He Is Silent” by Kim André Arneson
“Stay With Us” by Egil Hovland
“Songs of Nature” by Antonín Dvořák
“Melodies Steal into My Heart”
“Vesper Bells Ring”
“Look at the World” by John Rutter
“Sing Me to Heaven” by former Jonesborough resident Daniel E. Gawthrop
Two Handel Hallelujahs by George F. Handel
“Hallelujah, Amen” from “Judas Maccabaeus”
“Hallelujah Chorus” from “Messiah”
“In Remembrance” from “Requiem: by Eleanor Daley
“This World Is Not My Home” arranged by Russell Mauldin and Josh McPheeters
“Unclouded Day No. 1” from “Heavenly Home: Three American Songs”: arranged by Shawn Kirchner
“Let Everything That Hath Breath” by Jeffrey L. Ames, director of choral activities at Belmont University
May said the earthly songs will touch on beauty creation and nature, while other songs will delve into actual heaven or a spiritual heaven. The songs are part of a list she develops that she would like the chorus to perform, and the theme for the concert flowed naturally from that roster.
The chorus is singing “This Land is Your Land” in honor of the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence. It will include Daniel Cooke on guitar and percussion and a spoken solo from Gabriel Morgan.
Chorus member Erin Hensley Schultz will provide an introduction for “Even When He Is Silent,” and fellow member Tim Hybarger will serve as the soloist for “This World Is Not My Home.” Chorus member Thomas Ervin will be the soloist, Cook will play the drum set and Carlos Cartagena will be on bass for “Let Everything That Hath Breath.”
In addition to this concert, most members of the chorus will perform two songs at the seventh annual Sacred Music Celebration at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church in Johnson City Sunday, May 3. They will sing two songs from Monday’s concert – “Even When He is Silent” and “Unclouded Day No. 1.”
Tusculum’s will also be part of an interfaith choir of about 90 that will sing two other songs from Monday’s performance – “Hallelujah Chorus” and “Look at the World” – with a larger interfaith group.
The Tusculum chorus has about 60 members, and others are welcome to join. After Monday’s concert, the group will take a break for the summer before resuming rehearsals Monday, Aug. 31, for the Christmas concert. Anyone who is interested in joining can speak with May at the May 4 concert.
