BRATTLEBORO — The 18th annual spring concerts of the Brattleboro Women's Chorus, “Spring Jubilee,” feature American folk songs - both familiar and some lesser-known.
Sixty women and girls will sing under the direction of Becky Graber, accompanied by singer/songwriter Lisa McCormick on guitar and banjo.
Additionally, for the first time, members of the chorus accompany several songs on various instruments.
As usual, there will be a Mother's Day concert at the First Baptist Church, this year May 11 at 4 p.m.
For something unusual - and in another first - the chorus appears in concert at Next Stage Arts, in Putney, on Wednesday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Although folk songs such as Cindy, Shenandoah, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken? may be familiar, the arrangements are new or original Graber creations. The not-so-familiar variety includes Jubilee, Farthest Field, and Hallelujah by MaMuse (www.mamuse.org).
Also offered: a special sing-along, Hootenanny, covering six folk songs from the 1960s - many by Pete Seeger - accompanied by McCormick and a chorus-member-powered string band.
At both concerts, a 50/50 raffle benefits First Baptist Church of Brattleboro, the recipient organization chorus members nominated and voted for this year.