Chester River Chorale spring concert celebrates life on the Chesapeake

The Chester River Chorale spring concerts, celebrating our home here on the Chesapeake, were presented to packed houses on April 19 and 20.

The concert flowed from a celebration of place, opening with the world premiere “Gravity.” “Gravity” features the stunning poetry of Wendy Mitman Clarke in Michael Rickelton’s composition for choir, piano, and tuned water glasses. The piece was commissioned by CRC prior to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic but was unable to be premiered as planned back in 2020. Four years later, the CRC select ensemble, Chamber Singers, brought many in the audience to tears with the premiere performance. Both Mitman Clarke and Rickelton were on hand to experience the premiere.

The soaring harmonies of Elaine Hagenberg’s “Measure Me, Sky!” added to the celebration of the Chesapeake landscape before the program moved into a celebration of the many people who have been an integral part of the history and formation of the Delmarva peninsula. “Give Thanks” and “Heleluyan,” songs featuring the words of the Native Americans in both English and their native tongue led to tunes highlighting colonial America, such as “We Gather Together” and “The Derby Ram.” The audience enthusiastically joined with the latter song, reputedly George Washington’s favorite song to sing in the local pub!

The Bay itself is a central figure in Chesapeake life. Building lives and raising families on the Bay is beautiful but ever-changing, as the songs “Old Lady Rose” and “Shenandoah” reminded us. The pirate-costumed tenors and basses, complete with parrot, provided the audience with comic relief singing the “Pirate Song,” a rousing sea-shanty giving a nod to the active pirate presence in the area over the centuries — Arrr!

The historic reality of enslaved peoples and the hope of the Underground Railroad were recognized with a trio of gospel and spiritual songs, “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down”, “I Shall Wear a Crown”, and “Go Down Moses.” “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down” was both sung and signed in American Sign Language. The powerful combined presentation awed the audience.

Aaron Copland’s heart-warming “At the River” and the folk tune “Old Joe Clark”, complete with spoons, claps and stomps, gave way to songs remembering the wave of 20th century European immigrants. “Going Home” featured the yearning melodies of Dvorak’s New World Symphony, while “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor” provided a gorgeous setting for the profound poem of Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus” found at our Statue of Liberty.

The concert ended with the contemporary hit, “Home”, finishing the celebration of our beloved Chesapeake with a warm hug.

Intermingled throughout the program, the concert featured readings of the poems of Gilbert Byron, the late Chestertown native sometimes referred to as “The Voice of the Chesapeake” and the “Chesapeake Thoreau”. These spoken transitions, provided by Captain Andrew McCown, a spoken word artist from Kent County, Maryland, wove together the land, time and people of the Chesapeake.

The “Chesapeake” concert was raised to the next level by the amazing vision, talent and drive of Artistic Director Alexis Ward and Assistant Artistic Director Stephanie LaMotte. Ward and LaMotte complemented the Chorale and Chambers Singers with gifted guest artists whose performances elevated each musical piece.

Rebecca Silverstein’s phenomenal flute soared in both “Give Thanks” and “Shenandoah” while Stephanie Stabley celebrated her Native American heritage with percussion parts for both Native American songs. Stabley’s ASL accompaniment of “Ain’t No Grave” kept the audience spell-bound. John Leupold, associate professor of music at Washington College, provided percussion on a number of works, collaborating with drum kit, djembe, hand drum, wind chimes, tuned water glasses, and even spoons! As the concert moved into the 20th century, Denise Nathanson’s cello provided underlying warmth, inviting us all to come to Delmarva’s Eastern Shore, on the Chesapeake!

More information about the Chester River Chorale, can be found at: https:// www.chesterriverchorale.org. Go to the Contact page and fill in your contact information to receive Chester River Chorale updates.