The Southern Oregon Repertory singers will hold two May concerts at the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall, 450 S. Mountain Ave., Ashland.
The performance, “Cannons Into Bells,” will have performances at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 24, and 2 p.m. Sunday, May 25.
The program explores the idea of transformations.
Our feature commissioned work, “Cannons into Bells”, by Repertory Singers’ Composer in Residence, Jodi French, explores the tragic cycle of bells being melted into cannons during times of war, then changed back in times of peace. It is an urgent plea for a better world in which we “kindle the fire of love, melting the armor of our hearts into bells of peace”.
Other featured works include Joby Talbot’s ethereal “Leon”, the story of pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago — the “Way of St. James” — hoping to transform their lives, set for 17-part choir a cappella; Samuel Barber’s Agnus Dei, a texted version of his famous Adagio for Strings, performed with choir and orchestra; and Dan Forrest’s grand setting of e.e. cummings’ “I thank thee God for most this amazing day” for choir and orchestra, celebrating the transformative power of nature to turn our “no” into “yes.”
