The University of Lynchburg Choral Union and Concert Choir will present a joint concert on November 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Snidow Chapel to benefit the Lynchburg Branch of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Admission to the performance will be a donation of cash or non-perishable food items. The concert will culminate a week-long series of area Hunger and Homelessness Awareness events.
The Choral Union will perform Missa Brevis in B flat by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Frostiana by Randall Thompson, based on four poems by Robert Frost; Sicut Cervus by Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina; Psalm 150 by César Franck; If Music Be the Food of Love by David Dickau; and Music Down in My Soul, arranged by Moses Hogan. Melanie Braxton Coleman ’06, candidate for the Master of Arts in Music degree at University of Lynchburg, will conduct. The Choral Union is comprised of University of Lynchburg faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as community members.
Dr. Cynthia Ramsey, assistant professor of music at University of Lynchburg, will conduct the Concert Choir, a student chorus, in performances of Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart; Two ayres and Phantastick sprites from the English Madrigal School; Cantique de Jean Racine(Op. 11) by Gabriel Fauré; and Saul by Egil Hovland. Dr. Ramsey will direct both choirs in a performance of Hallelujah from Mount of Olives by Ludwig van Beethoven. Rose Peak will serve as accompanist for both ensembles.
Honored by Feeding America as the Best Food Bank in the Nation, the Lynchburg Branch of the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is serving up to 17,000 people each month. Current numbers indicate that the Lynchburg Branch expects to distribute 1.9 million meals this year – 400,000 more meals than last year. In addition, nearly 4,800 children are served in Lynchburg each month. The LynchburgBranch distributes food through nearly 50 partner agencies, which include churches, after-school programs and emergency shelters.
Ruth Jones, director of communications for the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, says, “Raising the awareness of hunger is vital in the Lynchburg area, and we’re so pleased to partner with University of Lynchburg choirs in providing an evening of inspiring music for a great cause. Having a partner such as University of Lynchburg that cares about its community is vital to our mission. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Network services 25 counties and nine cities in Virginia, and many in the Lynchburg area live in challenged households. The donations collected through this concert will allow us to feed more families who have lost their livelihoods and are struggling to make it from day to day.”
The University of Lynchburg Office of Community Involvement office and student volunteers will collect food and donations at the concert and deliver them to the food bank. Nearly 700 LC students contributed 48,000 hours of community service to gain University of Lynchburg recognition on the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.
