Hopefully, the luck of the Irish comes after a successful farewell performance with the ETSU Chorale at the Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church.

On Sunday, March 3, The ETSU Chorale performed a sendoff concert at the Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. to celebrate their upcoming concert in Ireland. The concert was free to the public, but donations were accepted.

The chorale performed all the music they were going to perform in Ireland in a one-hour performance. The concert provided both practice for performing for a large crowd and for the material. It was also a showcase for family and friends. Dr. Alan Stevens, director of the ETSU Chorale and chair of ETSU’s Department of Music, stated that the dedication and talent of the Chorale were reflected by the showcase performance.

Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church is located at 201 S. Roan St. in Johnson City.

Chorale will travel to Ireland on Friday, March 8. The tour will last from March 9 to 19. The ten-day tour will travel through Killarney, Galway, Kilkenny and Dublin. Ending the tour, Chorale will perform a St. Patrick’s Day performance in the Irish capital. Dr. Stevens said it has been an intense rehearsal schedule for both him and the students for this busy trip.

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The music selected was used to be a cultural exchange between ETSU and Ireland. It was planned to connect with international audiences and bridge the gap between cultures. The overall theme of the ETSU Chorale repertoire for this concert is the power of music and how it connects universally.

“All of our friends and family wanted to see what we’re going to be doing, and since they can’t come with us to Ireland, we wanted to be able to do the concert for them before we left,” said Stevens.

The ETSU Chorale is accompanied by Erin Raines. Members are chosen through a selective audition process and have a high level of choral artistry. The group performs in a variety of styles and genres, including music from the Renaissance, pop, jazz and foreign works. They have hosted many guest artists including Chanticleer, VOCES 8, The Swingles and New York Voices. They present four concert seasons each year and annually tour regionally.

Follow their Facebook at @ETSUChorale or their Instagram at @etsuchorale.

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