**This event is held OFF SITE**
St. John’s Episcopal Church, 100 Chapel St, Portsmouth, NH
Kevin Siegfried and the choirs of St. John’s benefit concert in Portsmouth, NH this Sunday! Click for more info and tickets, including the virtual livestream!
On May 19 at 3pm, St. John’s Episcopal Church Concerts On The Hill series presents “Shaker Harmony,” a concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Shakers in America. The choirs of St. John’s will be joined by New England composer Kevin Siegfried, who has devoted much of his career to raising awareness of Shaker musical traditions. The concert is offered in support of Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village (New Gloucester, Maine), and The Choir School at St. John’s.
Admission is $30 suggested donation and tickets are available online or at the door.
For those wishing to experience the concert from afar, a donation of any amount to The Choir School will grant access to the private livestream of the concert.
To make a donation: https://onrealm.org/StJohnsEpi…/-/form/give/choirschool…
Featuring the St. John’s Parish Choir, Chamber Choir, Choir School, and voices from other houses of worship and community choruses, this concert seeks to bring audience members on a journey, following in the footsteps of the Shakers as we perform selections from their extensive musical catalog to highlight universal themes of Humility, Freedom, Unity, Love, Simplicity, Kindness, Liberty, and more.
With over 10,000 songs in existence, Shaker music is the largest body of spiritual folk music in American history. The widely known song “Simple Gifts,” popularized by Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, represents only the tip of the iceberg of a tradition that encompasses thousands of songs, hymns, anthems, and dance tunes. Whether lively and joyful, or moving and deeply felt, Shaker songs boast irresistible melodies and feature texts that speak to universal themes of love, simplicity, and community. Shaker music communicates with a unique directness that reaches beyond time and place.
Kevin Siegfried’s choral arrangements vividly bring Shaker music to life for modern ears, while maintaining the integrity of the original Shaker melodies. The year 2024 marks the 250th anniversary of the Shakers’ arrival in America, providing a wonderful opportunity to reflect on their enduring legacy.
To learn more about the event and purchase tickets online, please visit: https://www.stjohnsnh.org/shakers250
