Nota Bene: Music with a Message

On Friday evening, April 28, the Virginia Wesleyan Choirs will explore, through song and imagery, the stories of millions of refugees who throughout history have sought protection and security in our country. “Yearning to Breathe Free” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Hofheimer Theater. Attendance is free to all, and no reservations are required.

Under the leadership of Dr. Bryson Mortensen, Director of Choral Music, the performance will take a historical look at Jewish refugees during World War II, Irish refugees during the Potato Famine, the current Syrian Refugee Crisis, and the recent Haitian Refugee Crisis. The Virginia Wesleyan Singers and the Virginia Wesleyan Chorale will sing traditional music of the refugees’ home countries as visual projections display the social and political views of the respective times. George Stone, Applied Music Specialist and Accompanist, will join on piano.

Dr. Mortensen tells me that the concert will address a general fear of the unknown. In a letter included in the event program, he writes: “It is always a challenge to learn about and become familiar with someone whose history and culture is so different from our own. To alleviate this, we will present music that comes from the home countries from whom we’ve accepted refugees. These songs do not focus on the plight of a refugee, but simply seek to help us become more familiar with the lives of the people who are seeking refuge in the United States.”

As part of the evening, gently used items and financial contributions will be collected to support refugees in our local communities. Specific needs include various home items, including sewing machines, vacuums, and kitchen tools. All donations will be distributed through the Peninsula Islamic Community Center (PICC) with coordination by Dr. Antje Schwennicke, Assistant Professor of Political Science.

Thank you to Drs. Mortensen and Schwennicke, Mr. Stone, and the following members of the Virginia Wesleyan Singers and the Virginia Wesleyan Chorale for bringing this timely and immensely valuable program to our campus.

Gabriela Ayala            William Lanagan

Jeannie Barnes             Tabitha Lowell
Myles Baynard            Gwendolynn Malone
Adrian Benn                Estasnislao Martinez
Deidra Benn                Devin Pee
Alexandra Bodicky     Marissa Phillips
Morgan Boyd              Tamia Ponder
Eve Craig                    Emily Powers
Andrew DeLuca          Thomas Reinhold
Shelby Emch               Laura Robusto
Lance Garrett              Joshua Simmons
Patrice Glover             Taylor Simpson
Marissa Gross             Tara Truax
Andrew Harrelson       Joy Vernon
Nicholas Hipple          Amanda Waller
Azania Inman             Amber Ward
Robert Jones               Atrayeau Ward
Jonathan Joyner          Cora Wilson
Adam Kurek                Michael Wilson