The nineteenth annual fall concerts of the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus – “Give
Me Wings,” songs of travel — will be performed the weekend before Thanksgiving. The multigenerational chorus of eighty women under the direction of founder Becky Graber will be accompanied on guitar by guest musician Peter Siegel, who is known to local and national audiences as a singer-songwriter, composer-player of traditional fiddle tunes, and most recently a member of the world-beat Celtic band, The Gaslight Tinkers.
The idea of travel in the songs ranges from Siegel’s “Home,” about the courage to stay in one place, to Ali Burn’s “Give Me Wings,” about a longing to rise above the troubles of the world. Travel doesn’t need to be far, as in Carol King’s “Up on the Roof” and “Walkin’ After Midnight” made popular by Patsy Kline, both arranged in four-part harmony by Graber. From South Africa comes “Sizo Hamba Kan Ncane” and from Zimbabwe, “Shosholoza.” Among the other songs is the delightful “Would You Like to Take A Walk?” which was sung by many including Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, and as the lyrics say, “Sumpin’ good’ll come from that.”
The concerts are Saturday, November 22 at 7:30 at Next Stage in Putney and Sunday, November 23 at 4:00 at the First Baptist Church in Brattleboro. Tickets are only at the door and priced at $15 generous, $10 adult, $8 student and senior. For more information, see www.BrattleboroWomensChorus.org, email bwchorus@gmail.com, or call 802-254-8994.