(Posted March 24, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College Concert Choir will perform a program of traditional and international choral works to honor their return from a spring-break tour of Brazil at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 27, in Rosenberger Auditorium in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts on the Juniata campus.

The concert is free and open to the public. There will be a post-concert reception at Standing Stone Coffee Company at 1231 Mifflin St.

The Juniata Concert Choir is directed by Russell Shelley, Alma Stine Heckler Professor of Music at Juniata.

The concert will open with traditional and sacred selections, including "How Can I Keep From Singing?" "Sing We Merrily Unto God," "Soar Away (From the Sacred Harp)" and "Down to the River to Pray."

The selections move back in time to the 12th century as the choir performs "Pie Jesu" and "Annua Gaudia." The program then transitions to such selections as "Hymne a la Vierge," "The Sounding Sea" and "I Am Not Yours."

The second half of the program opens with an international section, starting with the Celtic song "Dulaman." Several African songs will be featured, including "Bonsa Aba," and "Bwana Awabakiri." A contemporary African-American song, "No Mirrors in My Nana's House," is also included in the segment.

Two Brazilian songs, "Maracangalha" and "Brasil Nao Seremos Jamais" will be featured as well.

The final section of the concert will feature traditional and contemporary choral works, including "And So It Goes," "How Long Watchman" (from "Hymnody of Earth"), "Can You Hear" (from "Sounds of a Better World"), "May the Work I've Done Speak for Me," "My God is a Rock" and "Set Me As a Seal," one of the choir's signature arrangements.

The Juniata Concert Choir is one of three choirs performing at the college. The 50-person choir tours every spring semester, focusing its program on historical sacred music. Juniata choirs have performed at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

The choir also tours internationally almost every year. Past tours have taken the ensemble to China, Brazil, Europe and Trinidad and Tobago.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.