2023

It was our pleasure and honor to participate in the USAFE Band Christmas Concert. During the second half of the concert, the choir with support by band musicians performed  Chapua Kali Desemba, Deck the Halls and Swing it, Go Where I Send Thee and O Magnum Mysterium and participated in the pieces Hot Chocolate, Let There Be Peace on Earth and Last Christmas (encore).

Our choir is international and musically diverse - and that is exactly how our Christmas program can be described. There were songs from Tanzania, Sweden, Norway, USA, England, France and Germany. African folklore was combined with music of the Renaissance. Choral compositions from the 20th century, such as Franz Biebl's Ave Maria and Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium, met pop arrangements by the group Pentatonix. Well-known Christmas carols from England and the USA appeared in new swing and spiritual garb. Our program was intended to be contemplative, but above all joyful - and a little off the Christmas mainstream. The long, standing ovations and many positive comments after our concerts confirmed that we had selected the right program mix.

The choir of the  Musikvereins Kaiserslautern 1840 e. V. had invited us, together with two other choirs, to a friendship singing event at the Lutherkirche. It was a great joy to participate. Each choir presented a short 15 minute set from its current program. Our contribution was

Tshotsholoza - Arr. Jeffery L. Ames
In These Delightful Pleasant Groves - Henry Purcell
Tanzen und Springen - Hans Leo Hassler
Frühlingsahnung - Felix Mendelssohn
Hello Mary Lou - Arr.: David Wright
Ubi Caritas - Ola Gjeilo
Nothin' Gonna Stumble My Feet - Greg Gilpin & John Parker

As a closer, all choirs sang together to perform Sing Gently by Eric Whitacre. We would like to thank the Musikverein for the wonderful idea and perfect organisation! 

The song "Sing Gently" by Eric Whitacre, which we borrowed as our concert motto, was written in 2020 during the first Corona lockdown, was the youngest piece in our concert program. "I wrote the music and words to Sing Gently with the hope that it might give some small measure of comfort for those who need it, and that it might suggest a way of living with one another that is compassionate, gentle, and kind." (Eric Whitacre)

On the other end of our musical time line were madrigals by Hans Leo Hassler from the 16th Century. In between, classical and romantic pieces, spirituals and modern sacred music, as well as pop and barbershop could be found.

We joined the singers of the English Speaking Music Ensembles (ESME) in Munich for a joint concert! The choirs each performed a set of songs from their current concert repertoire and joined forces at the start and end of the concert for a number of songs.

Our program:
Tanzen und Springen - Hans Leo Hassler
Frühlingsahnung - Felix Mendelssohn
Ubi Caritas - Ola Gjeilo
It's All Right - Arr.: Robert T. Gibson

Jointly sung pieces:
Tshotsholoza - Arr. Jeffery L. Ames
Sing Gently - Eric Whitacre
Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet - Greg Gilpin & John Parker
Sixteen Tons -  Merle Travis, Arr. Kirby Shaw
Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home - Arr.: Greg Gilpin

Our heartfelt thanks go to ESME for a wonderful day full of music making!