Morris Choral Society presents Star Spangled Spectacular
Get your 4th of July celebrations started a little earlier this summer with the Morris Choral Society, which concludes it 43rd season on Saturday, June 27 with the Star Spangled Spectacular.
The concert will be held at the United Methodist Church in Morristown at 8 p.m. and tickets are $15 for students 18 and under, $20 for seniors, and $25 for general admission.
The performance will celebrate American patriotic music, and feature works by Irving Berlin, Randall Thompson, and Joyce Kilmer. When the chorus began preparing for its spring performance, they realized several special patriotic events and anniversaries would fall within its 2014-2015 season.
“We’re blending a mix of poetry and music to celebrate America on the national, state, and local levels,” said R. Wayne Walters of Parsippany, who founded the Morris Choral Society 42 years ago and has remained its conductor and music director. Walters will retire this year.
“I started this chorus over 40 years ago, and I plan to remain actively involved,” Walters said. “It has been a wonderful ride, and I hope to continue composing, writing, and editing — because I don’t think musicians ever really retire.”
This weekend, the 65-voice Morris Choral Society will perform Peter Wilhousky’s famous version of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” William Billing’s “Chester,” Randall Thompson’s “Frostiana” and passages from “Testament to Freedom,” Irving Berlin’s “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor,” and Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees.” The concert will also feature the premiere of “Our Lady of the Harbor” by Betsy Bramhall and Audrey Schultz.
“Betsy is a local Morristown poet, and Audrey is one of our talented singers, so she took her poem and set it to music. It was so nice to have this pool of local talent to draw from who could add so much to the program and our celebration of America,” he said. “The powerful words and passionate music along with the entire four verses of our national anthem set the theme in motion for our Star Spangled Spectacular.”
To commemorate the conclusion of the yearlong 350th birthday party of the state, the Morris Choral Society’s men’s chamber group, Express Male, will be featured along with guest speaker Suzanne Key Boyle Hermann, a descendant of Francis Scott Key, the writer of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The members of Express Male include: John Collins, Raritan; Bud Leppard, Morristown; Chip Wood, Basking Ridge; Albert Perkins, Morris Plains; Rob Walters, Long Valley; and Wayne Walters. Ken Rapp, Morristown, is the accompanist for the group and the chorus.
“July 4 is just around the corner, and we had all of these celebrations occur during our 2014-2015 season, from New Jersey’s 350th to the 200th anniversary of the writing of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ to the anniversary of when the Statue of Liberty was designated as a national monument —and, of course, the 300th anniversary of the founding of Morristown,” Walters said. “We felt a patriotic theme would be the perfect way to close out our season.”
STAR SPANGLED SPECTACULAR
WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, June 27
WHERE: United Methodist Church, 50 S. Park Pl., Morristown
COST: $15 for students 18 and under, $20 for seniors, and $25 for general admission
INFORMATION: 973-998-7239 or www.morrischoralsociety.org