A Letter from kevin...

 Dear Members,

     As I sit here in the heat of summer, planning the season ahead for all the groups I work with, I am reflecting back on my first season with you as your music director.  Working with a new group is always full of challenges and can be interesting.  Thanks to each of you, my first season was not only filled with those interesting challenges, but it was also filled with wonderful choral music.   Thank you also for making me feel welcome from the very beginning. 

     As I have been preparing for our upcoming season, I am filled with excitement to get back to our Tuesday night rehearsals.  I have decided that this fall we will return to a more standard look at choral repertoire.  We will be singing the marvelous “Gloria” by Antonio Vivaldi as the first half or our Christmas program.  The second half will consist of many Christmas treasures, including the much beloved Alfred Burt Carols.  We will round things out with traditional carols from around the world. 

     For our spring program we have been asked to sing at People’s Church in celebration of their 100 years of service.  I thought to myself, what a wonderful opportunity to search through our very own American sacred choral tradition and put at concert together honoring the work of People’s Church.  As a centerpiece for this concert I have chosen a wonderful work by composer Alice Parker entitled “Melodious Accord.”  This piece captures the spirit of shape note singing which is still held dear to the hearts of many in Appalachia today.   Shape-note singing is a distinctively American tradition that is enjoying a revival. Born from the desire to invigorate congregational singing, the shape-note tradition created its own musical notation, a robust singing style and a substantial collection of hymnody.  The remainder of the concert will explore other choral traditions from our rich history.

     I look forward to seeing you all at our first rehearsal and working with you throughout the season.  Let’s come together for this 52st season of the Delaware Choral Society and make it the best yet, filled with beautiful singing.

Affectionately,

Kevin