“Hello, how are you? Visitors are welcome” Audience members will hear that message delivered by over 150 voices singing in harmony later this February at SongFest, an annual celebration of choral music, presented by the Dubuque Chorale. These words are translated from the Swahili text of a piece called “Jambo,” by Teddy Kalanda Harrison, arranged by Jacob Narverud. With this message of greeting, the singers invite the Dubuque community to experience the joy of choral music this spring.
Now in its 11th year, SongFest brings choirs from Dubuque and the surrounding area together for a night of sharing their passion for music making. The Dubuque Chorale, along with their chamber choir Cadenza and both Dubuque Chorale Children’s Choirs will be joined onstage by other local groups, including the Julien Chamber Choir, Heartland Harmony, the Music Men, and choirs from Clarke University, Emmaus University, Loras College, the University of Dubuque, and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Each choir will perform works representing a variety of musical styles, from sacred music to barbershop harmony.
The concert finale brings the singers from all the ensembles together as one choir. The experience of singing in a mass choir is part of what makes SongFest so special, according to Karmella Sellers, Program Director for the Dubuque Chorale Children’s Choirs (DCCC). “Singing in a mass choir is an experience that can’t be replicated in the smaller groups,” says Sellers. “Usually, you are standing by someone you may not even know! It’s the ultimate community building exercise.” “Jambo,” the selection for the mass choir piece, which will be conducted by Loras College Assistant Professor of Music, Dr. Michael Bagby, reminds us that creating community must begin with welcoming others in. “We hope that our audience will feel welcomed,” says Dubuque Chorale Artistic Director Dr. Amanda Huntleigh, “not only through their experience at this concert but also as they explore future performances by each of our participating choirs.”
Another special feature of SongFest is that it brings together singers of all ages, from third graders to octogenarians. This year sees the return of the two DCCC groups, the Legati and Staccati Singers, who participated in the event for the first time in the 2023-24 season. Sellers says that including the DCCC in SongFest “fulfills one of the goals of the Chorale, which is endeavoring to create lifelong music makers…Children as young as eight are on stage and singing with adults possibly 10 times as old or more.” The experience demonstrates to these young singers that the joy of making music can last a lifetime. In fact, some members of the Dubuque Chorale are DCCC alumni!
One change in the event for this year is the timing of the concert. Traditionally SongFest was held in September as a preview of the upcoming season for each ensemble. While the concert was an exciting start to the year for the Dubuque choral music community, scheduling it so early in the fall allowed only a small number of rehearsals for many groups, especially those operating on an academic calendar. This year’s performance will be held in February, which allows the groups more time to learn their repertoire for the season and grow together as an ensemble. The Dubuque Chorale Board of Directors hopes this change will allow groups to present themselves to the community at their fullest potential.
Join us for SongFest and experience how choral music enriches our Dubuque community. The theater doors are open, so come on in! You’re welcome here.
SongFest will be performed at 7:00 PM on Saturday, February 22 at Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School, 2001 Radford Rd. Dubuque, IA, 52002. There is no charge for admission, but freewill donations are appreciated. To learn more about SongFest or the Dubuque Chorale, visit DubuqueChorale.org.
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