Sing with us!

Spring Concert – “Celestial Celebrations”

The Sounds of Stow welcomes new and returning singers in all voice parts for our spring semester.

Open Rehearsals: Mondays, December 1 and 8 (7:00 – 9:00) and January 5 and 12 (7:00 – 9:15)

First Parish of Stow/Acton, 353 Great Road, Stow

A letter from director, Barbara Jones::

Welcome all to our exciting 47^th season!  

May we all enjoy the rest of the summer, and return refreshed and ready for a truly exciting season of excellent and varied music!  Something for every musical taste awaits.  Each work presents an opportunity to grow our musicianship skills while having fun collectively mastering the musical challenges and pleasures each piece presents.

By now, you have received our eye-catching the flyer outlining the season’s three concerts.  Spread the word, far and wide, in any way you can– electronically, by posting in public places (restaurants, post offices, stores, community bulletin boards, etc), and most importantly, by word of mouth.  Both the November and especially the April concerts call for large choral forces, while also offering lots of opportunities for individual choices as to what role to play within the larger group – chamber choir, “medieval trio”, large chorus – many options here.

Listen to Rutter’s Gloria!, his first big “hit” for chorus and orchestra.  The rousing rhythms are impossible to resist.  We will have our four excellent trumpeters on hand, as well as our other great brass players to do full justice to this irresistible music.

Also on the program are works by three other British composers – Gerald Finzi’s In Terra Pax, full of rich and striking harmonies.  Bass/baritone Mark Cleveland will join us for this as well as Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols.  While you will recognize these carols, they are presented in interesting new versions. Taking advantage of our harpist, sopranos and altos can choose to sing the first two movements of Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols. In response to many requests, we find comfort in Gabriel Faure’s beloved Cantique de Jean Racine.  The last movement (or two, depending on the group’s choice), of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms concludes with this fervent hope: “Behold how good, and how pleasant it is, for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Such a timely and moving message.

I am very much looking forward to exploring Christopher Tin’s 2022 oratorio in which he explores man’s fascination with the sky and flight – To Shiver the Sky in April. Remember his thrilling Sogno di Volare(Dream of Flight) we so enjoyed?  That piece opens this eleven-movement work, and provides musical thematic motifs connecting the movements.  As always, Tin has thoughtfully selected excellent texts from the writings of Leonardo da Vinci, Ovid, Dante, Copernicus, Amelia Earhart, JFK….and others.  In addition to participating in the Large Chorus sections, individual singers will have the opportunity to take on the Chamber Chorus and/or solo opportunities as well.  Visit Tin’s website to read about his process and purpose in creating this inspiring work, and listen to the great variety of time, space and musical styles he covers.  He is aware that we have programmed his piece, the area premier I believe, and is offering to consult with us, making this an even more special occasion for us all.

Additionally, Stow resident Dan Barstow will create a video to accompany each movement as we project the text for the audience, drawing on NASA’s vast library of pictures and videos.

Like Tin’s The Lost Birds, this is a timely and inspiring work which will be very exciting to work on through the winter months.

Christina Kennedy will take us from the sky to the sea with fun selections, enhanced by wonderful musicians, as in the past.

This will be an unforgettable and rewarding season for us all!

-Barbara