End of an Era: Choral Artists to present last ‘American Fanfare’ concert on July 4

For nearly two decades, Choral Artists of Sarasota has brought some musical fireworks to Independence Day celebrations, but this year marks the end of an era.

After one last patriotic concert with the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble at the Sarasota Opera House on July 4, the groups will switch to a Memorial Day program next year.

But they’re planning to go out with a blast, with audience members providing the sound of cannons during Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” for a rousing conclusion to an afternoon of patriotic music.

Choral Artists Artistic Director Joseph Holt isn’t sure why an overture “written by a Russian about the defeat of the French” became a standard feature in American July 4th programs, but it may go back to 1974 when Arthur Fiedler led a performance with the Boston Pops. It became part of that group’s traditional July 4th concerts on the Esplanade in Boston, and other cities picked up on the idea.

“When we did it at the Capital Fourth concerts (on the U.S. Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C.) everyone would be cheering when the cannons go off,” said Holt, who spent 20 years in the U.S. Army Chorus.

They can’t have actual cannons in the historic Opera House, so audience members will take on that role. “Everyone will be given two brown bag lunch sacks and will blow them up and then someone on stage will cue them to pop them,” Holt said. “We’ll divide the audience into seven sections and each section gets an opportunity to be a cannon, and then pop them all together at the end for one final hurrah.”

The rest of the concert will be a mix of traditional patriotic music, such as “God Bless America,” “America the Beautiful, and John Phillip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” Audience members also will be given flags to wave during the concert.

Observing D-Day Anniversary

Choral Artists has been invited to perform in France next June to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion during World War II. The invitation came from Historic Programs in partnership with the Department of Defense’s Office of Commemorations. In a nod to that performance, the groups will perform several favorites from the war era, including “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “White Cliffs of Dover” and “We’ll Meet Again.”

Holt said he always tries to find something topical or related to what’s happening in society. “We’re somewhat of a divided country when it comes to politics, and when it comes to the Fourth of July, we do want to come together and celebrate together. That’s an important part of this holiday, no matter where we reside in the political spectrum.”

The groups will perform excerpts from “Washington Women,” a collection of choral songs by David Chase and Judith Clurman created for mixed chorus, piano and cello. The pieces he selected incorporate inspiring quotes from high-powered women including former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Supreme Court justices Elena Kagan and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and former First Ladies Laura Bush and Michelle Obama.

“Their words touch on freedom of religion, what it means to be an American and how we judge people,” Holt said. In one quote, Ginsburg suggested that male justices had a blind spot to women’s issues. “I am ever hopeful that if the court has a blind spot today, its eyes will be open tomorrow,” she said in 2014.

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On to Memorial Day

Holt said several factors led to the decision to end the July 4 concerts, which began 18 years ago, about four years before he joined the ensemble. One involves the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble, which has been part of the concerts for the last few years. “They have more members here around Memorial Day and there’s probably more of an audience here, too.” The invitation to perform in France also factored into the decision, because his chorus will be focused on preparing for the overseas program.

The concert marking Memorial Day will be held on the previous Sunday so the groups don’t compete with the Sarasota Concert Band, which has held a concert on the actual holiday for decades.

The July 4 concerts began at the Historic Asolo Theater and then moved to the United Methodist Church before the audience grew so large they were shifted to the Sarasota Opera House.

“It’s a challenging day for a lot of people with everything happening downtown on the Fourth of July,” Holt said.

The group canceled its 2020 concert because of COVID, but returned in 2021, with lighter attendance, he said. “I’m not sure if we just got used to doing things on our own, staying home and watching TV and experiencing culture that way. But we are going to see what happens and start a new tradition.”

‘American Fanfare’

Choral Artists of Sarasota and the Lakewood Ranch Wind Ensemble July 4th Concert. 4:30 p.m. July 4, Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave., Sarasota. $5-$50. 941-387-4900; choralartistssarasota.org

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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Audience will create cannon blasts for Choral Artists’ July 4 concert