Hudson Community Choruses celebrate 35 years, says farewell to artistic director
A New Dawn, the Hudson Community Choruses’ spring concert, celebrates 35 years of choral music with chorus favorites and new pieces on Sunday, April 28 at 4 p.m. in the Hudson Middle School auditorium.
This concert will also mark the final performance of HCC’s longest serving artistic director, Nathaniel Duvuvuei, who will be moving out of the area this summer. Duvuvuei took over the baton for the choruses in 2011.
“Our concert theme, A New Dawn, brings together music with an expectation of hope, purpose, and wonder," Duvuvuei said. "It is about an optimistic zeal that you bring to those you love and those who love you. It's about a purpose that extends to our fellow humans and recognizes that we are all the same in different kinds of ways. Finally, it's about a sense of wonder that releases us from things that burden us. A sense of wonder that only becomes easier as we recognize that we are not alone. When we come together in this way we awaken to a new dawn.”
The concert will open with Elaine Hagenberg’s stirring "Awake, My Soul" followed by Brazilian composer Ernani Aguiar "Salmo 150 (Psalm 150)," also known as the musician’s psalm because it extols praising God with voice and instruments. In addition, the Adult Chorus will perform Stephen Paulus’ "The Road Home," Kurst Bestor's "Prayer of the Children," arranged by Mark Hayes, and Shawn Kirchner’s "Unclouded Day." "It Takes a Village," composed by Joan Szymko, and Carly Simon’s "Let the River Run" were previously sung by the chorus and return in celebration for this concert. The women of the chorus will join together to perform the traditional Appalachian hymn "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," arranged by J. David More.
Highlighting the HCC Children’s & Youth Choruses will be a performance of John Lennon’s "Imagine," arranged by HCC member and Children’s & Youth assistant Kristina Yoder, and signed in American Sign Language. Ava Lindsay, a Hudson High School senior ALS student, taught both choruses the signs and will lead them at the concert. The combined Children’s & Youth Choruses will also sing "Oye," with words and music by Jim Papoulis.
The Children’s Chorus will be featured in "Jasmine Flower," a traditional Chinese folk song arranged by Mary Donnelly and George L.O. Strid, and "The Bumblebee" by Sally K. Albrecht. The HCC Youth Chorus will perform "Ad Astra (To the Stars)," written by Jacob Narverud, "The Dreamer in Me" from PINKZEBRA, and "You Will Be Found," written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for the Broadway musical "Dear Evan Hansen." The Youth Chorus will also join the HCC Chamber Chorus in "I Dream A World" by Rollo A. Dillworth.
The HCC Chamber Chorus, a smaller auditioned group of singers, will be featured on "The Luckiest" by singer and songwriter Ben Folds, with an arrangement by Duvuvuei. Continuing a favorite HCC tradition, all the choruses will join for the finale, Greg Gilpin’s "A New Horizon."
Duvuvuei will direct and Paige Morris will accompany all three choruses. They will be joined on several pieces by percussionist Jeremy McCabe and Rolando Pizana on bass. Yoder will also accompany the Youth and Children choruses on guitar on "Imagine."
Tickets are available online at www.hudsonsings.org. Cost is $15 for adults (until noon on concert day) or $20 at the door. Student tickets are always $5. A reception celebrating the 35th anniversary will follow the concert.
The Hudson Community Choruses are an intergenerational program with singers from ages eight to 80-plus from Hudson and more than half-a-dozen surrounding communities. New singers are welcome in August and January of each year. For more information go to hudsonsings.org.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson Community Choruses will perform spring concert
