Spirit Song Choir Members Perform at Carnegie Hall

NEW YORK & WOODBURY, MN (WNN) –  Thirty-two members of Spirit Song Choir performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Sunday, March 16.

The singers participated in “A Vision of Light,” a concert presented by Distinguished Concerts International New York.

They performed the Carnegie Hall premiere of Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson’s five-movement “A Vision Unfolding” with musicians from seven other U.S. choirs.   The residency included three days of rehearsals with conductor and teacher Dr. Kenney Potter.

“What an incredible opportunity for Spirit Song to join our voices with this diverse group of singers from all over the country, to sing this powerful and beautiful music with one voice,” said Mary Reimann, Spirit Song Choir director. “Exploring themes of equality, freedom, justice and inclusion, this work invites us, in the words of its composer, to ‘build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community.’”

Woodbury resident and choir member Julie Henseler noted that part of the choir training included nearly 10 hours of rehearsal with Dr. Potter.  “Although we had come prepared, the extra training and education that we received from Dr. Potter elevated the piece so much so that I did not feel nervousness on stage, but rather a joyful giddiness and a need to really please the conductor and audience as we shared the fruits of our labor,” said Henseler. “The entire experience was a huge success as we sang to a sold-out crowd that included two of my family members.”

Choir member John Muggee of Woodbury said that for him, being able to sing at Carnegie Hall was the culmination of “dreaming the impossible dream.”

“Carnegie Hall is the premier space for musical performance in the country; to be able to do so with the composer and spoken-word librettist Shanelle Gabriel accompanying us, as part of a multi-generation choir from across the country, was fantastic,” Muggee said. “This event surpassed my wildest expectations.”

Spirit Song Choir is an independent, ecumenical community choir, dedicated to sharing sacred and other inspirational choral music through concerts, community events, prayer and worship services, sing-alongs and Spirit Song Radio.

Additional information about the choir is available at: www.spiritsongchoir.org