Concert featuring Voices of Concinnity and special guest, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet
Thinning of the Veil:
songs to reconnect with the lost
​​Voices of Concinnity with Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet
On a night where the veil between the living and the afterlife is thin, may the voices of Concinnity and the movement of dance reconnect us with ones we have lost.​​
This concert will explore the stories, lore, and experiences of the veil between the world of the living and dead to allow space to process loss, feel comfort, and find connection. Includes new music. This concert is part of the Sanctuary Performing Arts Series.
Saturday, March 29, 2025 | 7:00PM
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Hebron​ (map here)
Tickets: $20 (students free)
It is strongly encouraged that you purchase your tickets ahead of time for this special performance. When you click the "BUY TICKETS NOW" button, you will be redirected to our event system called Ludus.
This concert was funded with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
What to Expect Attending this Concert
Who is performing?
Voices of Concinnity is our professional vocal chamber ensemble consisting of 12 choral artists from diverse backgrounds that works to move audiences through innovative programming that melds the unique qualities of each voice into into a vibrant, rich choral sound. Our special guest, Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, will be performing with Concinnity on a few song selections to enhance the experience of the music. Ekklesia is a professional dance company that utilizes a full spectrum of emotional and physical vocabulary while addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and human suffering.
What is this concert about?
Thinning of the Veil is a term often associated with the barrier that separates the world in which we live and the spiritual worlds of the dead. Many cultures have marked certain spaces or times of the year where this veil is thought to be thin, such as Samhain from Celtic history, Dia De Los Muertos from Mexico, and the tradition of All Souls Day commemorated within the Christian church, all marked in late October and early November. While our first performance of this program was intentionally set in November, this March concert will be on the heels of the spring equinox and performed in a church that is almost 200 years old, which feels almost like stepping back in time.
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We crafted a concert that explores the stories, lore, and experiences of the veil to allow space to process loss, feel comfort, and find connection. The inclusion of dance in the choral performance is another way to experience a deeper level of connection that art can provide us.
What style of music will I expect to hear?
Concinnity sings unaccompanied choral music (meaning instruments are not included in the performance) composed during the Renaissance period to contemporary music. Much of the music we will be performing has an ethereal quality and sound, especially with only voices creating the harmony. This performance will feature music composed by historic composers such as Heinrich Schütz, Ethel Smyth, Florence Price, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and some Gregorian chant from the 13th century. We will also present music by living composers, such as Eric Whitacre, Caroline Shaw, Shruti Rajasekar, Michael McGlynn, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Nico Gutierrez, Michael John Trotta, Kerensa Briggs, Jennifer Barnes, and the Beatles, and including a new arrangement of an English folks song by Stef Conner. To get an idea of what sound to expect, here are two songs that we will be singing:
Will there be a concert program to understand the music performed?
Yes, there will be a printed program that lists the order of the songs being performed. There will also be a digital program (available on this very page on concert day) that will have all of the lyrics and translations of the songs listed so you can follow along during the performance.
Since this concert is considered "classical music," are there guidelines for the audience?
While this concert is considered classical music, our audience members are invited to wear clothing that is comfortable, clap where they feel moved to do so, and use their cell phone during the performance to access the digital program available online on this webpage. Everyone is welcome. The only thing we ask is that all electronic devices are silenced so the music can be enjoyed as it is intended.
Parking for the event and accessibility to the building
This concert will be performed at St. Peter's Episcopal Church located at 30 Church Street in Hebron, Connecticut (map available here). There is accessible parking located in the main parking lot directly south of the church where there is a ramp to the church sanctuary where the performance will be held. Overflow parking is available directly across the street from the church.
This concert was funded with support from the Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
DIGITAL PROGRAM
click to access a pdf | texts/translations below
TEXT & TRANSLATIONS
click an arrow to navigate through each song