# Event Details

- **Event Name**: Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale
- **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm (-05:00)
- **Event Description**: West Texas Symphony Presents...

"OLD AMERICAN SONGS"
By West Texas Symphony Chamber Chorale
Tuesday, April 28 | 7:30 PM
Rea-Greathouse Recital Hall @ WNPAC
Dr. Brad Light, Chorale Director
Dr. Erica Rumbley, Pianist

$25 General Admission, Students $12
https://www.wtxs.org/concerts/chorale-spring.html
800-514-3849

Proudly Sponsored By Kati Lewis
_______________________________

This program offers a window into the roots of American musical identity, drawing on folk hymns, early sacred music, and spirituals that emerged from communities rather than concert halls. These songs—passed down through oral tradition, shaped by regional practices, and grounded in shared experience—capture a uniquely direct and expressive musical language. From the stark, modal contours of early New England psalmody to the flowing lyricism of folk-derived melodies, this repertoire reflects a nation finding its voice through simplicity, sincerity, and collective song.

Several highlights illuminate the breadth and depth of that tradition. The music of William Billings stands as one of the earliest expressions of a distinctly American compositional style, while later arrangers like Alice Parker and Robert Shaw bring renewed clarity and vitality to traditional hymnody and spirituals. The contributions of Florence Price and Moses Hogan highlight the enduring power and emotional depth of the spiritual tradition, transforming these songs into compelling concert works that retain their deep sense of authenticity and purpose.

The program concludes with the music of Aaron Copland, whose settings of folk material helped define a modern American sound—one that honors its roots while embracing a broader, more expansive musical landscape. In “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land, Copland brings together many of the program’s central themes—community, labor, and hope—into a broad, luminous conclusion. Taken together, these works invite us to hear not just a collection of pieces, but a living tradition—one that continues to resonate with clarity, strength, and a shared sense of purpose.

Wyndham Daniel Read
arr. Brad Holmes

David’s Lamentation 
William Billings

Idumea 
Ananias Davisson, arr. Richard Bjella
Jared Reif, tenor

Sing to the Lord 
Samuel McFarland, arr. Alice Parker

My God is a Rock in a Weary Land Spiritual
arr. Alice Parker & Robert Shaw 
Julie Wood, alto

Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal 
Frederic Rowland Marvin, arr. Alice Parker

Three Spirituals 
arr. Florence B. Price, ed. John Michael Cooper

Ride on, King Jesus Spiritual
arr. Moses Hogan (1957 - 2003)
Cindy Benbow, alto
Veronica Miller, alto

Old American Songs American Folk Songs
arr. Aaron Copland 

The Promise of Living from The Tender Land 
Aaron Copland
- **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/midland/old-american-songs-wts-chamber-chorale/200029973631437
- **Event Categories**: music, entertainment, concerts, live-music, art, fine-arts, spiritual
- **Interested Audience**: 
  - total_interested_count: 15

## Ticket Details


## Event venue details

- **city**: Midland
- **state**: TX
- **country**: United States
- **location**: Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center
- **lat**: 31.970300412754
- **long**: -102.24668119805
- **full address**: Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, 1310 N. FM 1788,Midland,TX,United States

## Event gallery

- **Alt text**: Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale
  - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/d81ee35f01d00f5ceb2f742699eda80f28bc0a62c55615f5f53011f829d3b92f-rimg-w1200-h628-dcffffff-gmir?v=1776880779

## FAQs

- **Q**: When and where is Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale being held?
  - **A:** Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale takes place on Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm to Tue, 28 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm at Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, 1310 N. FM 1788,Midland,TX,United States.
- **Q**: Who is organizing Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale?
  - **A:** Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale is organized by West Texas Symphony.
- **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me?
  - **A:** Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale is ideal for live music fans, concert-goers, and anyone who enjoys unforgettable performances from their favorite artists in an electric live atmosphere. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Midland, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Old American Songs - WTS Chamber Chorale sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast.

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