BRATTLEBORO-Brattleboro Harmonia (formerly the Brattleboro Women’s Chorus) will present its 30th anniversary spring concert, “The Sound Shelter of a Thousand Songs,” on Mother’s Day, May 10, at 4 p.m. at the Latchis Theatre.
This afternoon of music will mark a milestone: the conclusion of Becky Graber’s 30-year tenure as the director of the choral group she founded in 1996.
In a symbolic passing of the pitch pipe, Graber will co-direct this final performance alongside the chorus’ future director, Anna Patton, joined by nearly 100 singers and a distinguished instrumental ensemble featuring Stefan Amidon on percussion, Cathy Martin on piano, and Lisa McCormick on guitar.
The performance serves as both a retrospective and a debut, weaving together the chorus’ three-decade history with new creative horizons. The singers will reprise “Adiemus,” a movement from a major work the chorus first performed in 2002, and share contemporary favorites, like MaMuse’s “Home in the Holy,” Coco Love Alcorn’s “The River,” and “The Baton” by Katie Gavin.
Highlighting the event are two world premieres: Graber’s own 10-movement setting of Matty Weingast’s translations of poems by early Buddhist Nuns, and a new composition by Patton, “Sound Shelter,” written specifically to honor Graber’s enduring legacy.
“The walls of the Latchis will reverberate with this celebration of multi-generational community music making, celebrating the chorus’ history and launching Brattleboro Harmonia’s next chapter,” wrote organizers in a news release.
“It has been such a gift to work with and learn from Becky over the last two years, and I feel lucky as can be to be continuing her legacy by becoming the new director of Brattleboro Harmonia,” said Patton in a news release. “I especially love the parting gift of her brand new songs in this program.
“For one thing, Becky’s wonderful compositions and arrangements have been so central to the chorus’ sound. Also, it’s a great inspiration to me to see her, on the cusp of retirement after 30 years, not just reflecting on the past but brimming with new ideas. That is something to aspire to!”
Tickets are available online at BrattleboroHarmonia.org on a sliding scale of $15–$40.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.