Roger Sherman conducting the Orcas Choral Society in rehearsals at the Madrona Room
On Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8, the 65-voice Orcas Choral Society will present their Spring concert under the baton of their new director, Roger Sherman.
Entitled “You Can Sing That at My Funeral,” the program consists of music and texts by American voices which explore the topics of sleep, dreaming, death and immortality. The choir will be accompanied by Terri Triplett (piano) and Martin Lund (clarinet).
The music of the first half of the program was mostly written in the last 10 years. It includes Eric Whitacre’s popular “Sleep,” Craig Hella Johnson’s setting of Emily Dickinson’s poem “Will there really be a ‘Morning’?” and Howard Helvey’s ethereal “O Quam Gloriosum.” Two other works, “Dawn” and “In Dreams” are settings of texts by Robert Bode, director of the Choral Arts vocal ensemble in Seattle. The first half begins and ends with lullabies: Daniel Gawthrop’s “Sing me to Heaven” at the beginning and “Goodnight my Angel” at the end — a piece which is perhaps better known as “The Billy Joel lullaby”.
The second half of the program begins with three rousing spirituals arranged by the African -American composer William Dawson, and concludes with two “Victorian Visions of the Apocalypse”: “The Holy City ” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Saturday night’s performance is at 7:30 PM, Sunday’s at 2:00 PM. Both performances are at Orcas Center, where tickets may be purchased at the box office.
Adults: $15, students/children $5.
