Musical Storytelling Takes Center Stage as Chestnut Street Singers Present WHERE THE TRUTH LIES

"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." - Sue Monk Kidd.

This March, the Chestnut Street Singers, Philadelphia's cooperative chamber choir, presents a program that explores the power of musical storytelling. WHERE THE TRUTH LIES will be performed at 8PM on Saturday, March 24 at the Historic St. George's Methodist Church (235 N 4th Street, Philadelphia) and at 3PM on Sunday, March 25 at First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia).

For thousands of years, humans have created stories to chronicle, to educate, to entertain, and to explore our identities. This program explores storytelling through song, weaving together different voices and languages to tell some of the oldest narratives of conquest and devotion, with music by Britten, Ravel, Trumbore, Flecha, and Janequin.

"Called 'mightily impressive' by Philly Review, The Chestnut Street Singers was formed in 2010, when a handful of Philadelphia choral singers decided that they needed more from the local music scene. Hoping for an ensemble featuring challenging repertoire, cooperative musicianship, and innovative programming, they decided to take matters into their own capable hands and founded Chestnut Street Singers. It is the ensemble's mission to offer unique concerts that are accessible to all. As such, all concerts are pay-what-you-wish at the door.

Full details on the concerts are below, including the program. For more information, visit chestnutstreetsingers.org.

DETAILS

Chestnut Street Singers Present

WHERE THE TRUTH LIES

Saturday, March 24, 2018

8PM

Historic St. George's Methodist Church (235 N 4th Street, Philadelphia)

Sunday, March 25, 2018

3PM

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia)

All tickets pay-what-you-wish at the door

chestnutstreetsingers.org

PROGRAM

Where The Truth Lies

"Those who tell the stories rule the world." - Hopi proverb

Read/Missouri Harmony, "Windham"

Clement Janequin, "La Guerre"

Maurice Ravel, "Trois Beaux Oiseaux du Paradis"

arr. Nigel Short / Wilberg, "The Dying Soldier"

Mateo Flecha, "La Guerra"

Anonymous, "Hanacpachap cussicuinin"

INTERMISSION

"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." - Sue Monk Kidd

Benjamin Britten, "Hymn to St. Cecilia"

William Billings, "Rose of Sharon"

Bob Chilcott, "Love"

Gustav Holst, "I love my love"

Dale Trumbore, "History's stories"

ABOUT CHESTNUT STREET SINGERS: Based in Center City, Chestnut Street Singers is a cooperative chamber choir committed to active engagement with musical traditions and their evolution. We seek to illuminate commonalities linking the early Renaissance to contemporary practices, integrating canonical repertoire with lesser-known works and augmenting our musicality with creative and irreverent programming. We are dedicated to presenting polished, engaging performances while still being able to sip wine with our audience.

Besides performing great and sometimes under-appreciated music, our goals are many: we cherish our place in the Philadelphia community and are dedicated to offering concerts that are accessible--both financially and intellectually--to our friends, neighbors, and students; we support the work of young composers and instrumentalists; we celebrate the varied inspirations--sometimes silly, sometimes sexy, sometimes thoughtful, and sometimes all three--of classical music; and we believe that making music together is a stimulating, strenuous endeavor, one worth celebrating and supporting. Find out more at chestnutstreetsingers.org.

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