Festival Choir of Madison, University of Michigan-Flint Chamber Singers

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press release:  Festival Choir of Madison with the University of Michigan-Flint Chamber Singers will present the second concert of the season, “A Thousand Beautiful Dreams”, on Saturday, March 16, 2019 at 7:30 PM in the atrium of the First Unitarian Society of Madison, 900 University Bay Drive.

This March 2019 we will bring a choir of 16 students from the University of Michigan-Flint and guest conductor Dr. Gabriela Hristova to Madison to perform a joint concert that will give voice to the tragedies of the past and present and to the promise of social equality and inclusion. What happened in Flint must never be forgotten: In 2014, the water supply for the city was changed from Lake Huron to the Detroit river in order to save money. But government officials failed to implement the water treatment required to prevent this new source from leaching lead into the drinking water, and they continued to act against the public's best interest and suppressed knowledge of the problem for years, during which over 100,000 residents were exposed. Every community can become a victim of such criminal political neglect.

For this performance we have selected music that was mostly composed and arranged by modern composers including Seth Houston, Daniel Elder and Jake Runestad. Several of the pieces are dedicated to the importance of water in our lives. One of the highlights of our program is a piece by Craig Hella Johnson that commemorates Matthew Shepard, a college student who was bullied and killed in 1998 because of his sexual orientation. In October 2009, the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, later signed into a law by President Obama.

Festival Choir of Madison is an auditioned, mixed-voice volunteer choir of over 50 experienced singers. FCM performs thematic concerts of artistically challenging choral music from around the world for listeners who enjoy traditional, modern, and eclectic works, and for singers who enjoy developing their talents with others.

Concert admission (general seating) is $10 for students, $15 for senior citizens, and $20 for adults, with tickets available online and at the door on the day of the concert; patrons are encouraged to buy tickets in advance to reserve space. Tickets can be purchased online.

To learn more about our organization, visit www.festivalchoirmadison.org