Bozeman Symphonic Choir Presents Voices of Faith & Hope
November 14 @ 2:30pm
The 90-singer Bozeman Symphonic Choir will take audiences on a powerful choral journey through faith, hope, and the American spiritual tradition in their upcoming concert, Voices of Faith and Hope.
Conducted by Conor Whalen and featuring Kyla Rosenberger on the organ, the program is anchored by Dvořák’s radiant Mass in D major. Also called The Lužany Mass, Dvořák’s most popular sacred work was commissioned in 1887 by the architect and patron, Josef Hlávka, to commemorate the opening of a chapel he had built near his summer residence in Lužany, western Bohemia.
After intermission, the choir will perform a selection of American spirituals, from a toe-tapping arrangement of I’m Gonna Sing ’til the Spirit Moves in My Heart, by celebrated son of New Orleans, Moses Hagen, to the ethereal Shenandoah, arranged by James Erb, which was once performed as a sea shanty by 19th century fur traders floating down the Missouri River. As with most songs handed down in an oral tradition, there are other stories associated with the song, including one that refers to the Oneida Nation leader, Skenandoa—also known as Shenandoah—and a canoe-going trader who wanted to marry his daughter.
Conductor Conor Whalen is encouraging his singers to memorize the spirituals on the second half of the program, noting “By performing without referencing written music, we’re honoring the oral traditions that brought these beautiful spirituals to us.”
Performances will take place Friday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 14, at 2:30 p.m. Hope Lutheran Church is located at 2152 W Graf Street in Bozeman.
These concerts are made possible through the generous support of season sponsors, Bob & Donna Ritchie and Bruce & Kimberlie Jodar.
Tickets start at $28 for adults, with discounted student tickets available. Purchase tickets at.bozemansymphony.org/voices-of-faith-and-hope, or call (406) 585-9774. Tickets will also be available at the door, subject to availability.
