By Romy Carver; Photos & Video by Don Backman
Local music lovers were treated on Sunday to a delightful afternoon of musical storytelling at the United Methodist Church in Tillamook. The Cannon Beach Chorus, led by Conductor Roy Seiber, and comprised of members from Tillamook and Clatsop Counties, performed a selection of songs about America. The theme was “the land, the people, the struggle to be free.”
The free two-hour program featured choral music accompanied by piano, violin, percussion, flute, and piccolo. The first hour was about the land and the people, and featured America the Beautiful, a tune featuring Navajo text, a Mexican folk song called, De Colores, and selections by Irving Berlin, Stephen Foster, Woody Guthrie, and Aaron Copeland. Mr. Seiber narrated the rich history of each selection, drawing the audience into the cultural significance of the songs with humor and interesting facts.
After a brief intermission, the program resumed. The theme of the second hour was “the struggle to be free,” and was kicked off with a stunning piano rendition of L-Union by French composer Louis Moreau Gottschalk, performed by local piano prodigy Blake Poblador, which drew a standing ovation.
Other selections outlined a history of struggles to be free, including Lift Every Voice and Sing, which is considered to be the Black National Anthem, as well as selections about war and My Country ‘Tis of Thee.
Mr. Sieber shared that he carefully selected songs that bring people together, that speak to the American experience and celebrate the 250 year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He acknowledges that the struggle for freedom has not stopped since that time and continues on, that freedom isn’t some we achieve, but always strive for.
It’s not too late to see this performance if you missed today! The chorus has two more upcoming performances:
- Friday, May 1st, at 7pm at the Cannon Beach Community Church, and
- Sunday, May 3rd, at 3pm at the Nehalem Bay United Methodist Church