The Sterling College Choir and the Highland Singers soon present their winter concert entitled Harmonies from Home: A Folk-Song Celebration at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 10 at Sterling’s United Presbyterian Church. 

The concert was originally scheduled for last weekend but had to be postponed due to a gas leak at the church. Based on folk music, Directors Sean Foster and Marisa Callan both look to explore the differences in music across cultures. 

“There are lots of aural images that come to mind when one hears the term ‘folk music.’ In our context, we mean music that was written to share experiences, thoughts, and feelings of the average community member in different cultures around the world,” said Foster.

Foster went on to add how the goal of the concert is to celebrate voices and stories across the world and leave the audience with an appreciation for music and its variety. 

“Standards of beauty change with culture and music is no exception. I hope that audience members leave our concert with a broader appreciation of what powerful and moving music can be,” said Foster. 

Specifically said to be one of his personal favorites is James Mulholland’s arrangement of A Red, Red Rose. 

Foster tells how it brings out an emotional feeling as well as targeting his musical sensitivity. 

For the audiences, City Called Heaven, arranged by Josephine Poelinitz, featuring Kassia Lopez (freshman from Lyons) as a soloist, promises to be a highlight as Lopez sings with power and emotion. 

“As soon as she opens her mouth, you feel it. The choir’s singing is also quite powerful. It has roots in the Gospel and Spiritual music traditions and is about the longing for a better place (Heaven) in times of great hardship,” said Foster. 

When asked about the challenges in presenting this concert, Foster talked about how faculty were challenged with open-mindedness, and the students with vocal skills in different languages. 

Overall, Foster hopes that the audience will appreciate the variety of musical styles and periods being explored through the pieces. 

Admission to concert is free of charge and encourages all to come and enjoy the music. The concert will also be live-streamed on the Sterling College Music Facebook page.