Tomorrow’s Voices Today Concert
April 30 • 7:30 PM • Riverview High School
Tickets $9Purchase Tickets Here ->
This is Key Chorale’s third annual collaboration with the Sarasota County Schools. Each school and Key Chorale will perform independently and in a festival chorus of more than 200 voices. The combined voices will perform selections ranging from choral masterworks to contemporary choral music, including Handel’s festive Hallelujah, Amen, Ballade to the Moon by 30-year-old emerging composer Daniel Elder, and Untraveled Worlds by new age composer Paul Halley. Also featured will be I Believe, a setting of a text found on a cellar wall in Cologne, Germany during the Holocaust. This text is a testament of faith, and finding hope when the world seems hopeless. Three student sopranos will be featured as soloists in this piece. “Hearing this multi-generational choir singing the text about believing in the sun, even when it is not shining, of believing in love, even when you don’t feel it, will be very powerful,” said Artistic Director Joseph Caulkins. “When this many voices sing as one, their ability to move us is undeniable.”
A sentiment echoed by Angela Hartvigsen, Fine Arts Program Specialist for Sarasota County Schools. “For me, the most memorable part is the first time the combined chorus comes together and begins to sing. The sound coming from that united group of singers never fails to cause goosebumps for even the most seasoned performer and audience member,” said Ms. Hartvigsen. “It is extremely impactful for our students to have the experience of working with community arts groups. It allows them to experience music-making with musicians of diverse musical backgrounds and age groups.”
Each of the choirs of Booker, Sarasota, and Riverview High Schools will be led by their directors Trevor Pike, Kirby Sanders and David Verdoni, respectively. Their individual performances will feature some of their favorites from the season. Work on the festival repertoire begins months ahead of the performance. Artistic Director Joseph Caulkins works with each choir several weeks before the concert and then the three schools rehearse together with Key Chorale for several hours the day of the concert. “This educational outreach event is all about showing our community the great work being done by our students and their talented and dedicated music teachers,” said Mr. Caulkins. “Each of us who make music a part of our lives had someone who lit that spark that became a lifelong love of music. With this program, igniting that spark is Key Chorale’s top priority.”
“When students from different schools are able to unite and make music together, not only with each other, but with a professional conductor and professionally led choral group of diverse ages and backgrounds, it is a wonderful opportunity for them to share ideas and build a common understanding fostered by their collaborative performance,” remarked Ms. Hartvigsen.
“We don’t want anyone to miss this important collaboration,” said Mr. Caulkins, “so as a gift to the community, we have reduced the price to $9 to be accessible to all. This will be a wonderful celebration of choral music. We want our community to be able to have a front row seat to experience first hand why we think this outreach is so important to Key Chorale’s mission.” |
