Grand Forks Master Chorale presents: 250 Years of American Choral Music

Join the Grand Forks Master Chorale this fall for a concert celebrating 250 years of choral music in the United States, with music written entirely by American composers.

We begin at the beginning with William Billings’ “Chester,” the rousing hymn that became a rallying cry of the Revolutionary era and helped launch American choral singing. From there, the program moves through the many voices that make up the American songbook: African-American spirituals, pop, jazz, and country, from Patsy Cline to Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” in a fresh choral setting. Eric Whitacre’s luminous “All Seems Beautiful to Me” adds a moment of quiet wonder. The program also features music by Randall Thompson, Kenneth Jennings, and Elaine Hagenberg along with the contemporary a cappella sound of Pentatonix.

The program also shows how choirs have long given voice to justice and compassion. Stephen Foster's arranged by Shawn Kirchner “Hard Times Come Again No More” honors the struggles of the enslaved African-American. Craig Hella Johnson’s “The Innocence,” from Considering Matthew Shepard, is a moving reflection on loss and love. Kyle Pederson’s “Can We Sing the Darkness to Light” closes with a message of hope and resolve.

Come celebrate where we have been, where we are, and what we can sing together.