Invitation

 

Tuning the calendar to March is always slightly bittersweet. I can’t imagine where the year has gone to so quickly, and I look around at our wonderful seniors and post-graduates and begin to mourn their leaving. On the other hand, it means that Sacred Concert is not too far off on the horizon, which provides the opportunity for us all to be together again, making music with friends! I write, then, to invite you to return to campus and participate in the 116th annual Concert of Sacred Music, to take place the weekend of April 30 to May 2. We have finally moved into a schedule which allows the weekend of Sacred Concert to be earlier, helping to avoid the conflict with Mother’s Day, and creating a little more space at the end of the year. We now graduate a week earlier than we did for many years, so May was becoming a bit like a traffic jam on a major artery by a big city during commuter hour.

 

Steven Bathory-Peeler and I have crafted a program for this spring, the theme of which is Remembrance and Hope. In particular we remember those who lost their lives as a result of the earthquake in Haiti, and we raise voices and instruments in hope for Haiti’s future and the future of all who have suffered such devastation. We have chosen the John Rutter Requiem as our major work; we will perform most of it with the Concert Choir, Symphony Orchestra and Alumni Choir. This is an exquisite work with melodies that will stay with you for a long time; this year is the 25th anniversary of its premier in 1985.   The sixth movement of the work is a setting of the Twenty-third Psalm, for chorus, orchestra and oboe solo. The Alumni Choir will sing this movement on its own, adding a mature sound to the text. We have a marvelous oboe player – I think it will be wonderful. In addition to the Rutter Requiem the Alumni Choir will sing a piece with the Concert Choir – a setting of “Hatikvah.” I am still trying to get the music, but hope it will all be set in a week or so. 

 

As you hopefully have heard by now, the core campus of Northfield was purchased this fall for the purpose of founding the C.S. Lewis College, a 4-year, great books institution. I am thrilled about this – it will be wonderful for the town of Northfield and is a marvelous match for the campus. D. L. Moody is smiling down on this, I think. The C. S. Lewis College will have a focus on the performing arts and has committed to letting us use the auditorium for Sacred Concert – it is ideal! There will be a year or two, when the auditorium is being renovated, that we may need to move Sacred Concert to the NMH campus, but we have been invited to maintain the tradition of performing Sacred Concert in Moody’s auditorium, which is where we will be this year.

 

Just to point out a few highlights about the weekend’s schedule, on Saturday night, after our special Musicians Dinner, the Jazz Ensemble and World Music Combo will entertain us in Raymond Concert Hall. Also, we will rehearse Saturday afternoon at NMH’s Rhodes Art Center – if you have not yet had a chance to explore this wonderful building you will have plenty of opportunity on Saturday.

 

As always, I look forward to seeing you all for this wonderful tradition. We have a marvelous group of students this year who are looking forward to raising their voices with you!

 

Affectionately,