Concert featuring Voices of Concinnity and special guest, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet
Thinning of the Veil:
reconnecting with the lost
On a night where the veil between the living and the afterlife is thin, may the voices of Concinnity and the movement of dance reconnect us with ones we have lost.
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Experience music as the path to process loss, feel comfort, and find connection.
Saturday, November 2, 2024 | 7:00PM
United Congregational Church, Tolland
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Tickets: $20 (students free)
It is strongly encouraged that you purchase your tickets ahead of time for this special performance. When you click the "BUY TICKETS NOW" button, you will be redirected to our event system called Ludus.
What to Expect Attending this Concert
Who is performing?
Voices of Concinnity is our professional vocal chamber ensemble consisting of 12 choral artists from diverse backgrounds that works to move audiences through innovative programming that melds the unique qualities of each voice into into a vibrant, rich choral sound. Our special guest, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, will be performing with Concinnity on a few song selections. Ekklesia is a professional dance company that utilizes a full spectrum of emotional and physical vocabulary while addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and human suffering.
What is this concert about?
Thinning of the Veil is a term often associated with the barrier that separates the world in which we live and the spiritual worlds of the dead. Many cultures mark certain times of the year when the veil is thought to be thin, such as Samhain from Celtic history (which we often celebrate as Halloween on October 31st) and Dia De Los Muertos from Mexico which celebrates the reuniting of the living and the dead on November 1 and 2. There is also a tradition of All Souls Day, commemorated each year on November 2 within the Christian church, which remembers those who have passed before us.
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The loss of a friend or loved one is a universal experience; therefore, we crafted a concert of choral works that explore stories and harmonies that can allow space to process loss, feel comfort, and find connection. The date of the concert was intentional and the inclusion of dance is another way to experience the deeper level of connection that art can provide us.
What style of music will I expect to hear?
Concinnity sings unaccompanied choral music (meaning there is not instruments included in the performance) composed during the Renaissance period to contemporary music. Much of the music we will be performing has an ethereal quality and sound, especially with only voices creating the harmony. This performance will feature music composed by historic composers such as William Byrd, Ethel Smyth, Florence Price, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and some Gregorian chant from the 13th century. We will also present music by living composers, such as Eric Whitacre, Caroline Shaw, Shruti Rajasekar, Michael McGlynn, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Nico Gutierrez, Michael John Trotta, John Taverner, Jennifer Barnes, and the Beatles. To get an idea of what sound to expect, here are two songs that we will be singing:
Will there be a concert program to understand the music performed?
Yes, there will be a printed program that lists the order of the songs being performed. There will also be a digital program (available on concert day on this very page) that will have all of the lyrics and translations of the songs listed.
Since this concert is considered "classical music", are there guidelines for the audience?
While this concert is considered classical music, our audience members are invited to wear clothing that is comfortable, clap where they feel moved to do so, and use their cell phone during the performance (as we have a digital program that will need to accessed on an electronic device). Everyone is welcome. The only thing we ask is that all electronic devices are silenced so the music can be meaningful.
DIGITAL PROGRAM
{coming on November 2nd)