The Northeast Piedmont Chorale presented two spectacular concerts on May 3-4, 2024, at Wake Forest Baptist Church in Wake Forest and Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh. A video is available on YouTube, courtesy of Trinity Baptist Church.
The Chorale’s Spring concerts were well received by enthusiastic audiences. “Let Your Spirit Soar!” was the theme as the Chorale presented an Americana program of hymns, folk, jazz and patriotic songs.
Selections included: How Can I Keep From Singing? arranged by Gwyneth Walker; a medley of I Love You/What a Wonderful World, arranged by Craig Hella Johnson; The Blue Ridge, composed by Harriet Monroe and Elaine Hagenberg; Simple Gifts, arranged by Ryan Murphy; Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal, arranged by Alice Parker; There is a Fountain, arranged by Dan Forrest; When I Can Read My Title Clear, arranged by Bryant Moxley; Old Joe Clark, arranged by Greg Gilpin; All the Pretty Little Horses, arranged by Andy Beck; Handful of Keys, from “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” arranged by Larry Shackley; Pure Imagination, from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” arranged by Jay Althouse; Red, White, and Blue, arranged by Derric Johnson; and Patriotic Medley, arranged by Burly Red.
The choir of 75 and orchestra of 12 were under the direction of NPC Director Cindy Edwards. Bryant Moxley, minister of music and worship at Wake Forest Baptist, directed the hymn he arranged. Kristen Allred was the accompanist, and she was joined at the piano by Jennifer Taylor on two songs.
The four hymns featured in the concert were also performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City on Monday, May 27, by nearly half of the members of the Chorale who joined members of the choir at Wake Forest Baptist Church and other choirs under the direction of Moxley.
The Chorale is a non-profit, non-sectarian, volunteer organization whose mission is to perform fine choral music for the residents of the Northeast Piedmont area at no charge. Members of the Chorale come from Wake, Durham, Vance and Franklin counties.