The concert “Celebrating Nebraska Artists!” will be performed by Lincoln Choral Artists (LCA). 22nd of October on Sunday at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street.
LCA began preparing for this event and the season about a year ago. The ensemble has a history of working together with outstanding musical and artistic institutions in the area. LCA made the decision to include local visual and other physical media artists in a presentation of arts and music from Lincoln and the Nebraska region, as well as the Lincoln-based flute choir Coro di Flauti.
All of the music played by LCA was composed by living artists, many of whom were local. Former UNO director of choral music Derrick Fox wrote the song “Raise Your Voice in Song.”
Three Nebraska Lyrics, poems by neighborhood poet Becky Boesen, were set to music for Chadron State College by professor and director of the UNL Jazz Singers and Jazz Orchestra David von Kampen.
Additionally, LCA will bring back “Imprints,” a piece it commissioned from a local composer and LCA friend Jean Henderson, with text by a former LCA president Curt Butler.
The Nebraska Choral Directors Association has commissioned “The Dawn’s Awake” by Lincoln composer and attorney Lauren Bydalek, which will give the concert a dynamic moment. Marques Garrette, who recently departed UNL, will present his composition titled “My Heart Be Brave.”
Additionally, the choir is performing “Maya’s Prayer for Peace,” a spiritual-style piece with text by Maya Angelou, under the direction of Tom Trenney, creative director of Abendmusik, composer, and director of choral music at Nebraska Wesleyan University.
A few selections from Kelly Via’s “Cross the Wide Missouri” will be performed by Coro di Flauti. Additionally, Coro will perform “America Belongs to Us” by Jenni Brandon and “For the Beauty of the Earth” by John Rutter with LCA.