The Hickory Choral Society will conclude its 2025-26 season with a pair of outdoor concerts commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Performances are scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16, in Morganton and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 17, in Hickory. Both concerts are free.
Built around Woody Guthrie’s anthem “This Land Is Your Land,” the program will unfold in a series of musical “chapters” inspired by the song’s verses and explore themes of freedom, journey, justice and community. The singers will be accompanied by a live band, and the program will feature soloists and narrations.
Audience members will hear familiar standards, including “New York, New York,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Nine to Five” and “Lean on Me,” as well as more recent hits, including “You Will Be Found,” “The Story of Tonight,” “100 Years,” “Bless the Broken Road” and “You Raise Me Up.” The concert will conclude with an arrangement that combines “This Land Is Your Land” and “America the Beautiful.”
“The song ‘This Land is Your Land’ reminds us that the U.S. story is complex. The program will reflect on the beauty, challenges, and connections that define our community and country,” said Ryan Luhrs, Hickory Choral Society Artistic Director and Conductor, “We’re inviting the listener to consider the many voices and experiences that have shaped our shared history.”
The concerts mark the culmination of a season-long exploration of U.S. composers and choral traditions. Presented outdoors, the performances will offer a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
Many members of the Hickory Choral Society call Burke County home.
Morganton residents are Karla Busch, Mike Chandler, Buzz Foster, Anne Gonzalez, Olivia Higdon, Mark Selm, Chandler Smith, Amethyst Stark, Jim Valenti, Bonnie Walker, JoAnn Williams.
Connelly Springs residents are Sarah Lynch and Renee Shatley (also associate conductor).
Drexel residents are Phyllis Garrison and Kathy Cozort. Valdese residents are Lu Litton Griffin and Amanda Hudson. Aleta Hoyle lives in Rutherford College.
Hickory Choral Society is a funded affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba.
The Hickory Choral Society transforms lives through performance, support of music education and the advancement of social harmony in the North Carolina foothills and beyond. The organization is a funded affiliate of Arts Culture Catawba.
Dr. Ryan Luhrs is the artistic director and conductor of the Hickory Choral Society.
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