Donna Kummer, director
Elna Hickson, accompanist
Special appearance by Leslie Fitzwater

Plymouth Chorale will hold its spring concert on Sunday, May 12th (Mother’s Day) at 3pm. The concert will last about an hour and will be followed by a light reception. Take your mom out to lunch and come to the concert! Suggested ticket prices are $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors & students. The Chorale is directed by Donna Kummer, and Elna Hickson is the accompanist (see more below).

The concert’s centerpiece is a lovely suite of music by John Rutter titled “London Town." In the opening movement, the Chorale becomes the voice of the many bells in London, singing about their important work in heralding in newly-married couples, marking the passing of loved ones, greeting the New Year, and serving as the fire alarm. Similarly, another movement follows the path of the subway, marking historical points including some as recent as Platform 9-3/4 from the Harry Potter series. The men in the Chorale get to be the voice of the River Thames, following its current, both geographically and historically, and a group of children will sing about the animals at London Zoo.

The concert is dedicated to mothers of ALL kinds, including England as our “mother country.” Plymouth Chorale will also be celebrating Mother Goose with a delightful set of madrigals based on Mother Goose rhymes! Mother Earth will get a nod, as will Bobby McFerrin’s setting of the 23rd Psalm which uses female imagery for the Divine.

The Chorale will also perform by two composers who passed away several months ago: Alice Parker and P.D.Q. Bach, aka Peter Schickele. If you don’t know anything about P.D.Q. Bach, you have an interesting and humorous journey ahead. We will be singing one of his madrigals, “My Bonnie Lass, She Smelleth” (and maketh the flowers jealeth).

The concert will be a (mostly) light-hearted romp, and will be rounded out by a solo “music hall” set by one of Milwaukee’s finest performers, Leslie Fitzwater. Her collection of mildly bawdy songs (still appropriate for families!) will lend a dash of spice to our 

London Town was commissioned by Children’s International Voices of Enfield, in celebration of the 80th birthday of their founder and conductor June Keyte. It was composed in 2018 for performance by Children’s International Voices, together with primary and secondary-school choirs from the Borough of Enfield. Grateful thanks are due to the Enfield Residents Priority Fund for their support of the project.

Graphic design by Barbara Parkman.