Masterworks Chorale of Carroll County, in collaboration with the Historical Society of Carroll County presents Presidential Words in Song on May 15, 3 p.m. at Baker Memorial Chapel ("Big Baker"), McDaniel College, Westminster. Admission is $12 [$10 in advance]. Children and all students, elementary through graduate school, are admitted FREE (Adult students show valid ID). Visit www.masterworksofcc.org for tickets and more information. Also visit hsccmd.org for more information about the Historical Society.

In honor of election year, our 60-member choir will sing of many of the presidents who have visited Carroll County. The Historical Society of Carroll County's Dr. James E. Lightner (Chair, Board of Directors) and Catherine E. Baty (Curator of Collections) will provide contextual narrations and multimedia presentations with special emphasis on how Carroll County was touched by those presidents and events which will be represented in song.

Featured will be Randall Thompson's "Testament of Freedom" which is based on the words of Thomas Jefferson from 1774 through 1821. Other presidents' words in song come from the collection, Sing Out Mr. President, edited by Judith Clurman. New musical settings about more presidents who visited Carroll County were created by Masterworks Chorale Artistic Director, Dr. Margaret Boudreaux. Other historical pieces will be sung between presidential quotes. Poignant wartime songs, from the call to arms found in “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp,” to the sad echoes of the WWI poem, “In Flanders Fields" will stir your soul, while "Yankee Doodle" and "Goober Peas" will provide contrast and humor. The audience will be encouraged to sing along!

Our concert finale, "Amazing Grace", will bring presidential song rather than words. When President Obama sang this at the funeral for victims of the massacre at the Emanuel Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S. C., and when the congregation quickly spontaneously joined him, they all voiced the lasting spirit of hope and renewal in the face of tragedy.
We hope this concert will not only entertain, but that you will also be inspired by the words of historical figures--as well as the role our own community has played in the ongoing development of our democracy. A warm welcome to Veterans and members of our Armed Forces! You’ll especially enjoy this concert!

Masterworks Chorale of Carroll County is a non-profit organization funded in part by grants from the Carroll County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council.