FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER
FOR THE DAILY SOUTHERNER
TARBORO —
Who would believe a children's choir from our Rocky Mount area would give concerts in such places as the Washington DC’s National Cathedral, NYC's Riverside Church, Phildelphia's Church of the Holy Trinity, Charleston's Piccolo Spoleto Festival, and Williamburg's Bruton Parish and that they would sing with symphony orchestras and symphonic band?
Tonight, the Tar River Children's Chorus will present its 20th Anniversary Concert at 7 at Fellowship Church on Highway 58 (1st St.) South in Nashville. Admission is free, and a love offering will be received. A reception will follow.
More than 20 years ago, a handful of local music-lovers thought that it was possible and made it happen!
With yearly auditions, weekly rehearsals during the school year, parental volunteers, and lots of hours of preparation, Patsy Gilliland has led the group to explore different genres of music, to learn music fundamentals, and to perform superlative music. First-time listeners comment that they had no idea that children could sing so beautifully.
The program by these singers from 4th- 12th grade will include TRCC favorites from years past, from classical to gospel. Songs will include Bach's Wir eilen mit schwachen, Pete Seeger's Turn, Turn, Turn, several classically-set Newfoundland folksongs, Praise His Holy Name, Rutters's Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, and the Israeli canon, Hashivenu. It will be a full-orbed program incorporating dance, fiddle, harp and flute, as well as classical singer Sara Oettinger.
The TRCC will premiere My Heart is Steadfast, written by Conductor Patsy Gilliland for this special occasion. TRCC alumni and mothers of past and present choristers will join the chorus in singing this new work.
Talented Tarboro pianist, Sally Moseley, an East Carolina graduate with her Master of Music degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and who has played all over the Eastern United States, provides piano accompaniment for the Children’s Chorus.
This celebratory music weekend concludes with a recital at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Circle Drive. Budding opera singer, Rocky Mount native, and former Tar River Children's Chorus member, Sara Oettinger will sing a program of songs and arias. Currently living in Boston, Oettinger holds a Master of Music degree from Boston Conservatory. She will be accompanied by Heidi Souza, professional pianist and organist at Trinity Lutheran Church in Rocky Mount.
