The Flathead Valley Community Band joins the Columbia Falls Community Choir in a May 7 performance at Flathead High School auditorium. (Courtesy photo)
The Flathead Valley Community Band and the Columbia Falls Community Choir present Music in the Air on May 7 in the Flathead High School auditorium.
The Columbia Falls Community Choir opens the concert with songs expressing caring, love and appreciation for the people we meet in our lives, such as “In Meeting We Are Blessed,” an a cappella song accompanied by an African drum called a djembe.
The choir will also perform two musical theater selections like “Look to the Rainbow,” from “Finian’s Rainbow” and “More I Cannot Wish You,” a tender ballad from Frank Loesser’s “Guys and Dolls.” The song is sung by the character Arvide Abernathy, a gentle and wise older man, to his granddaughter Sarah Brown. As Brown faces uncertainty in love, Abernathy offers this song as a blessing — a father’s prayer, wishing her the kind of lasting love and joy that cannot be bought or bargained for. One of the choir’s favorite songs is called “The Family We Find Along the Way,“ a song expressing the different types of families people have in their lives. The song will be accompanied by piano and cajon.
The band will perform selections from the iconic musical, “My Fair Lady.“ Premiering on Broadway in 1956, the musical tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower girl who undergoes a transformation into a „proper lady“ under the guidance of the pompous phonetics professor, Henry Higgins. The musical is filled with unforgettable songs, including „I Could Have Danced All Night,“ „On the Street Where You Live,“ „Wouldn’t It Be Loverly“ and „With A Little Bit of Luck.“
The band will also perform „West River Jubilee,“ by John Darling, who was commissioned by the West River Winds community band in Mandan, North Dakota. The piece is a tribute to the American West and Mandan, where the town motto is “Where the west begins.“ Drawing inspiration from the folk music and dances central to Western celebrations, Darling wanted to create a work that captured the joy and spirit of community gatherings. The piece reflects his admiration for the wide-open landscapes and the resilience and optimism of the people who call the West home. Dedicated to the memory of Peggy Schaaf, a member of the Bismarck and Mandan musical community, the piece includes a prominent percussion part and the hymn “How Can I Keep From Singing?” which was played at her funeral. The words reflect strength and resolve in her faith as she faced the ravages of the disease that ultimately took her life.
In the final event of the evening, the audience will be invited to sing along with the combined band and choir in a performance of patriotic tunes and Montana’s state song.
The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Flathead High School Auditorium. A reception will be held in the foyer after the concert. The concert is free, but donations will be accepted to cover expenses.
The choir is directed by Steven Holte, accompanied by Dawn Hashley. The band is directed by Allen Slater.
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