04/27/2026
Thank you to everybody who came to "Music for All: American Choral Music at 250" this weekend. It was a hit! Full house both days! Enthusiastic audience members sang along on "Edelweiss" (some with tears), "The Rainbow Connection" (many people moved) and good ol' "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Many kids were at the concert the first day, and they sang along with gusto. One fellow sang "The Rainbow Connection" entirely in the voice of Kermit. It was heartwarming to have so many children of all ages in the audience.
People loved the music and the sequence of many stories of the voices of America.
Also very popular were the speakers who came and spoke briefly about their organizations.
Thank you to Lynne Rhodes, President of the Cape Cod/Nantucket Chapter of the NAACP. Her grandfather was one of the founders of the chapter! NAACP, Cape Cod Branch. And thank you to the founder and director of the Brazilian Resource Center, Michael Mecenas. Brazilian Resource Center.
So many highlights - here are a few:
- Nipîy (water song), written by a Cree composer, was really well received. So many compliments on it. One woman told me she saw so many pieces in the program she did not know and wondered what she would think of them. She thought this, our second piece, was absolutely beautiful and moving.
- Both days the audience cheered and stood up at the end of the magnificent Wilhousky arrangement of "Battle Hymn of the Republic."
- Another favorite was "Chester," written by William Billings of Boston, in 1770, revised 1778.
- Audience danced along in the balcony to "I Sing Because I'm Happy", arranged by Rollo Dilworth.
- Great applause for our newly commissioned arrangement of "Old Cape Cod." Paul Langford Music
So many more unforgettable moments!
To summarize, the room was a gathering of community, great music sung beautifully (if we do say so ourselves, tee hee, but the audience told us, too!), heartwarming selections and stories, and joy and inspiration.
This concert program is one for the books! Stay tuned for pictures and video.
I am so full of gratitude for the work of the chorus, and the joy of conducting them.
Great job, soloists John Durant, Kaylee Arnold, and Josh Skolnick!
Many thanks to our pianist, Mijin Choi, our bass, Chris Rathbun, and our drummer, Ed Sorrentino.
I am so grateful the audience liked the scope of the program and left with new knowledge and joy.
Harmoniously,
Danica A. Buckley, Artistic Director and Conductor
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