Choral Society 'Sings' out for Memorial Day
Cap off your Memorial Day weekend festivities with an evening of all-American music guaranteed to get you in the spirit of the holiday: The Hilton Head Choral Society's annual "America Sings!" concert, to be presented at 7 p.m.May 25 at First Presbyterian Church and May 26 at Holy Family Catholic Church, will feature a program of classic American folk songs, beloved anthems and military marches sung in patriotic tribute to the five branches of the Armed Forces.
"You don't have to get dressed up for this one," said Choral Society Artistic Director Tim Reynolds. "It's a very casual celebration. We're keeping it light and fun."
And inexpensive: Tickets, usually $20 a pop, are only $5.
"It's our way of giving back to the community that supports us all season long," Reynolds said. "There are usually not a lot of cultural events going on Memorial Day weekend, which makes this concert even more appealing to tourists and guests."
colors AND SONGS
The Town of Hilton Head Island Fire Department Honor Guard will start the program with the presentation of colors. As is tradition, the audience will be invited to join the chorus in singing "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Following the opening, the 80-member choir will perform a set of early American colonial music and folk songs, including William Billings' "Chester," the Appalachian classic "Simple Gifts" and "Gentle Annie," written by American composer Stephen Foster in 1856. Some of the songs will be accompanied by piano or organ; others will be sung a cappella.
The women in the group will perform the traditional North Carolina mountain ballad "He's Gone Away," while the Full Chorus will join together to sing Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More" and Aaron Copland's "Zion's Walls."
From there, the program will turn to sacred texts: Paul Basler's arrangement of "Be Thou My Vision" and Mack Wilberg's "We'll Shout and Give Him Glory," followed by several patriotic tunes including "America," "Colonel Bogey's Grand Old Flag" and "Prayer for My Country."
Reynolds will ask for a moment of silence in honor of America's fallen soldiers. The choir will then sing "Blades of Grass and Pure White Stones," a song co-written by Sen. Orrin Hatch.
The singers' salute to the Armed Forces, featuring rousing renditions of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard anthems, will follow.
Retired and active personnel in the audience will be asked to stand as the song from their branch of the military is performed by the chorus and audience.
"That's one of the moments that everyone comes for," Reynolds said. "It's quite moving to see an audience full of men and women standing proudly and singing along with their anthem."
For the big finish, the choir will perform John Carter's "This Land I Love."