POHC Sings in Synergy with Nature at Untermyer Park
By Carrie Wesolowski
Photos by: Frank Asencio
Carloads of Peace of Heart Choir members organized by Lis headed for our Yonkers debut at the Untermeyer Performing Arts Council World Fest 2022 Summer Series..
Our first full-length concert since before the pandemic…
“In the words of our maestro Rene, “Thanks for a tremendous performance. It was truly one of our best concerts ever.”
In a night that began with a commemoration of the 32nd Anniversary of the ADA and a presentation by Carole Conklin and was followed by watching René being presented with a citation issued by Mike Spano, the Mayor of the City of Yonkers, to acknowledge the countless contributions that Peace of Heart Choir has made to the arts and arts programs citywide and beyond, there were countless magical moments.. Singing al fresco in the beautiful Untermyer Park in Yonkers under approving blue skies with just a hint of a refreshing breeze, luscious foliage at our backs, we began with our signature opening Siyahamba/Shosholoza and we flowed from song to song as gently as the breeze, our joy and enthusiasm moving us along… Rhapsodic, glorious, impassioned…..
Carrie leading the choir in Melanie De More’s Lead With Love.
“And just as I led the choir with this refrain as I sang, “You gotta put one foot forward and lead with love” (from singer/activist Melanie DeMore’s Lead With Love), and Nancy and I continued leading the choir in call and response, I felt that rhapsody, that freedom and joy--that feeling of forward motion as we answered that call to connection in troubled times as I sang these lyrics….”Don’t Give Up Hope, You’re Not Alone, Don’t You Give Up, Keep Movin’ On…”I know you’re scared..And I’m Scared Too..But Here I Am… Right Next to You..”
We sang music of social justice, of resistance and of the people, Holly Near’s Singing for our Lives, Violetta Parra’s Gracias a La Vida featuring soloist Gail, and a new song of resistance and resilience, Yes We Are--courtesy of our very own Andy who wrote it, and who sang along with fellow soloists Shifee and Tony as he accompanied on guitar. It was so catchy and so I found myself singing along too. Of course, it isn’t a Peace of Heart Choir concert without singalongs: Oh, I Woke Up This Morning led by soloist Deb, Give Us Hope, audience sing-alongs Peace Like a River and This Little Light of Mine, Peter Yarrow’s Lift Us Up led by Gail. We even had at least one audience member in attendance—one of my guests--who had sung with Pete Seeger’s The Street Singers.
When Lis sang Dafydd y Garreg Wen ( David of the White Rock) accompanied by Gillian on harp, Lis’s service dog Zilli's ears clearly recognized Lis’s voice and at one point, her ears perked up and she laid on her back with her paws stretched up. Gillian’s gentle harp seemed to be in time with the gentle breeze. It was such fun reprising the Heartbeats’ rendition of the Andrews Sisters classic Bei Mir Bist du Schon. (The Heartbeats are a girl group subset of Peace of Heart Choir formed in 2015 before our 1st Cabaret.)
There were so many times that our music had us clapping along—including a new song we debuted here--the Palestinian folksong Al Yadil Yadil.
As day descended into night, was it the sound of cicadas or crickets or katydids or all of the above that seemed to blend with the sounds of our voices?? Ahh, nature’s soundtrack.........
A dragonfly even whizzed by at one point. As Shifee sang I’ve Been in the Storm So Long, the darkness of night began to descend upon us and the rhythm of the night had taken hold and it became almost impossible to see out into the audience and our lights so kindly given to us by Mary Hoar from Untermyer Performing Arts Council illuminated our choir music as the stage lights reflected off our faces. Our audience immensely enjoyed the evening made possible by grants from the City of Yonkers, ARTSWestchester, Westchester County Government, Empire City Casino by MGM and other benefactors, patrons, sponsors, and donors. Several audience members spoke to me during intermission and after the show declaring what a beautiful concert it was and expressing their thanks.
One woman even inquired about Gary’s introduction and call for upcoming auditions for her family member and we exchanged information. A future POHC member, perhaps…?
We sang classics such as Bridge Over Troubled Water, Here Comes the Sun and Over the Rainbow/Wonderful World (with soloist Laura) and Broadway favorite Seasons of Love from the musical Rent. Alex’s introduction to Let There Be Peace on Earth (featuring soloist Danielle) pointed out that peace begins with each of us. And so I think of the words of Imagine that I quoted underneath my high school yearbook photo: “You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will live as one.” It was sort of surreal to sing our encore Let the Sun Shine In (featuring soloist Nancy) as we had already descended into darkness. But it just highlights that it really is a metaphorical call to let the sun shine in no matter what external struggles or difficulties we face. Along with our maestro Rene, our accompanists Tamara, Andy and Deb, our music was the shining light in the darkness of the night….
In Harmony,
Carrie Wesolowski, Alto 1