The 90-member River Singers Community Chorus will perform two dynamic, eclectic concerts of world music on Saturday, May 4, at both 3pm and 7:30pm at Next Stage in Putney. The River Singers, a multi – generational community choir led by Mary Cay Brass, sings a thrilling variety of community-based music from many diverse cultural and musical traditions.
Ms. Brass will be joined by guest conductor, singer and dynamic gospel piano player, Dr. Kathy Bullock of Berea, KY. Dr. Bullock has been a Professor of Music at Berea College for 27 years where she directs the Black Music Ensemble, a 70 voice choir that specializes in performance of African-American sacred music. She performs, lectures and leads workshops in the US, and internationally on music and culture of the African diaspora. Having just returned from a European tour, this will be her eighth residency with the River Singers, where she will teach the choir a wide range of thrilling gospel songs that will then performed with the rest of the repertoire that the choir has studied this session.
In addition to gospel, the choir will sing a cornucopia of achingly gorgeous songs from Eastern Europe, the Republic of Georgia, South Africa, a Cajun love song from Lousiana, early and contemporary shape note songs and much more!
Every River Singers concert is a benefit for some global or local project. This spring’s concert will benefit the Conflict Transformation Across Cultures Program at the School for International Training in Brattleboro. Tickets are $15, children 10 and under free. Tickets available at the door only. For information about the concert contact mcbrass@vermontel.net