Interfaith Music Festival takes place Sunday
The Dutchess County Interfaith Council will present the 43rd Annual Interfaith Music Festival, “Praise!,” on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 3 p.m. at Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church, 1168 state Route 55, Lagrangeville.
This longstanding event provides the opportunity for people of many congregations to gather and appreciate the worship music of the varied faiths present in the Hudson Valley. The program will feature a sampling of music and performances from the Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Muslim traditions. The Interfaith Choir will be premiering the work “Psalm 138,” composed and directed by Maris Kristapsons. The Bells of St. John’s Hand Bell Choir, under the direction of Susan Guse, will perform two pieces and will also be featured in “Psalm 138.”
In a press release, Kristapsons says of his piece, “Having offered to write a new work for the Interfaith Music Festival choir, I spent some time searching for a suitable text. One of the most important aspects of this concert is selecting words that will speak to the different faith traditions that are represented by the participants. Many psalms serve this need powerfully and inclusively. In the end, I decided Psalm 138 would fit the theme especially well, emphasizing praise and thanksgiving. Also, one of the performing groups on this year’s concert is The Bells of St. John’s, so I decided to incorporate them into the accompaniment of the work to make it even more dramatic and uplifting.”
The Interfaith Choir will also sing an anthem “Proclaim the Mighty Power of God,” featuring Howard Goodrich on trumpet with piano accompaniment by Gretchen Gould. “Total Praise “which will be sung in both English and Hebrew, and a Gospel selection called “You Are Good” will be directed by Barbara Davis of Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.
The festival prelude will be “Erev Shalom” a piano and flute duet, performed by Lorraine Nelson Wolf and Julie Donato, respectively. “The Freedom Singers” from Freedom Plains United Presbyterian Church will be performing an original composition by its director Lorraine Nelson Wolf called “Clay Jar,” which is based on an ancient folk tale about a cracked clay water pot that doubts its own worth.
Other groups presenting at the festival will be a Children’s Interfaith Choir under the directions of Amy Huber, “The Total Praise” Dancers from Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, a Hindu duet of “Sharanam Jagat Janani,” a presentation from Masjid Al-Noor and a children’s group called “The Magical Bells” from Freedom Plains United.
This year, the event will be posthumously honoring Edward A. Koziol, former executive director and past treasurer of the Dutchess County Interfaith Council, who participated for many years in the festival as a tenor. The festival is one of the council’s largest fundraisers, and the proceeds support its many worthwhile programs, which include the CROP Walk to End Hunger and the Interfaith Story Circle, among others.
There is a $10 suggested donation at the door.
Call (845) 229-0179 or dutchesscountyinterfaith.org for more information.