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From Mirror staff reports
The Blair Concert Chorale will open the 2024-25 season with choral music from the movies and big band sounds performed by Altoona Area High School Jazz Ensemble.
It's an exciting concert that will appeal to all audiences -- the young, the mature, the jazz fans, the movie buffs, the serious music-minded and the light music-minded.
The season-opener is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 14th Street and 12th Avenue, Altoona.
The Blair Concert Chorale will perform a full program of pieces celebrating movies of the modern era. The audience will recognize "Another Day of Sun" from "La La Land" and "Pure Imagination" from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."
In addition, chorale soloists will enhance other selections:
– Kristie Wissinger -- "Suo-Gan" from "Empire of the Sun."
– Paige Matteson -- "Kyrie for the Magdalene" from "The Davinci Code."
– Deborah Johnson -- "Evenstar" from "Lord of the Rings."
– Clair Rhodes -- "Can't Catch Me Now" from "The Hunger Games"
– The women of the BCC -- "Ballad of the Witches Road" from "Agatha All Along."
In addition to presenting favorites of the Big Band Era, the Jazz Ensemble will join the BCC for a rousing performance of "It's All Right" from Soul.
The Blair Concert Chorale is under the direction of Chris Bartley, instructor of music at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg and conductor of the Pitt-Greensburg Chorale and Chamber Singers.
The Altoona Area Jazz Ensemble is under the direction of Larry Detwiler, music department chairman for Altoona Area School District and director of bands at Altoona Area Senior High School.
General admission tickets, available at Thompson's Pharmacies (Chestnut Avenue and Hollidaysburg) and at the door, are $15 for adults and $8 for students. Tickets for the concert are also available by emailing BlairConcertChorale@gmail.com.