Page 15 - April2024

April 2024 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 15
Community Pemi Choral celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Colonial Theatre in Laconia to Host the Premiere of a Commissioned Choral Work
PLYMOUTH & LACONIA –
toire. Members come from 24 The 100-voice Pemigewasset
communities throughout the Choral Society (Pemi Choral)
Lakes Region, Central New presents its 50th anniversary
Hampshire, and the White May concert series “Sweet Riv-
Mountains. The chorus boasts a ers.” The two concerts will be
diverse range of ages from high performed on May 4, 2024, at
school students to beyond 80. the Colonial Theatre in Laco-
They perform concerts in De- nia, N.H., and May 5, 2024, at
cember and May, and welcome the Silver Center in Plymouth,
new members at the beginning N.H. The Pemi Choral Society
of each semester. For more in- is very grateful to the Laconia
formation, please visit pemicho- music brings to our lives and the
central New Hampshire. This is
bers at the Colonial Theatre.
Pemi Choral is a 100-voice
Putnam Fund for its generous
future of community singing.”
the first time the chorus will per-
ral.org, find us on Facebook regional community chorus
Pemi Choral has a long his-
form in Laconia, and they are
and Instagram, or email us at sponsorship of the 50th Anni-
tory of presenting its concerts
thrilled to have the opportunity
pemichoralsociety@gmail.com. versary Concert Series.
based in Plymouth, N.H., with
a wide-ranging musical reper-
The concerts will feature a
in several surrounding towns in
to engage new audience mem-
commissioned work celebrating
the chorus’s 50th anniversary,
composed by internationally
recognized New England com-
poser Moira Smiley. Her com-
Financing Available mission, “I Soared without
Regret,” is based upon the
poem “Flying” by former Plym-
outh State University professor
Jane Babin, who died from ALS
in 2015. Accompanied by an
11-piece chamber orchestra,
the concert also features the
beautiful Franz Schubert “Mass
in G” with soprano soloist Janet
Poisson and bass soloist Michael
Gallagan.
“Shawn Kirchner’s compo-
sition ‘Sweet Rivers’ provided
the title of the concert,” says
Music Director Will Gunn, who
fell in love with this piece when
he first heard this arrangement.
“Its hymn song style reflects
early New England musical
styling while also honoring
the chorus’s connection to the
Pemigewasset River that flows
prominently through this area.”
The Abenaki word Pemigewas-
set means “swift current coming
from the side,” describing the
LaValley’s
joining of the Baker River to
the Pemigewasset.
Installs!
“Pemi Choral is well-known
for the wide range of musical
genres it has performed over
the past 50 years that include
Broadway, classical, folk, stan-
dard and modern choral pieces,
and holiday favorites,” says
Gunn. “This concert honors
the chorus’ broad repertoire
with a diverse program of cho-
ral works that celebrate the joy