Posted: 4/2/03

FLHS bands, choirs prepare for April 11 Bethel Concert

The Symphonic Winds, Concert and Treble Choir now are in the final preparation stages for the seventh annual Benson Great Hall Concert. The concert is set for 8 p.m. Friday, April 11 in Benson Great Hall on the Bethel College Campus.

In its seventh year, the Benson Great Hall Concert has grown each year. Last yearís concert drew more than 1000 people.

This yearís program will include the addition of the Treble Choir. The program will begin with the singing of the National Anthem followed by the Symphonic Winds. They will perform works by Gillingham, Girous, Bremmer, Graham and Grainger.

The Concert and Treble Choirs will begin their part of the program with a double choir arrangement of ìAva Mariaî by Franz Beibl, followed by a work in French and a spiritual by the Treble Choir.

The Concert Choir will follow with works that will be sung in Chinese and one in Portuguese. They will then sing a work that utilizes Irish rhythms juxtaposed with African counter-rhythms ìAn Afro-Celtic Diddle.î

Zum Gali will follow this, which is an Israeli folk tune with the meaning Dance the Hora! then a Caribbean seaboard work from Costa Rica, which combines Indian, Caribbean and African-American words. They also will sing an arrangement of the Robert Burnsí poem, ìOh My Loveís Like a Red, Red Roseî and will complete their group with a spiritual by Moses Hogan (who passed away Feb. 11 at the age of 45) Ezekiel Saw De Wheel.

The concertís finale has become a component of the concert that patrons have come to anticipate. The 2003 concert concludes with a series of hymnsóhymns of hope, peace and love of country.

All three groups will participate in the finale which promises to be a stirring as well as contemplative ending to the concert.

Tickets are available from the music students in the three performing organizations, The Forest Lake High School activities office (982-8525), The Yellow Bus, Lakes Video, The Music Connection and The American Legion Post 225. Prices for the concert are $8 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

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