Harmonia Chamber Singers extend special student price for March 2 concert

Youth invited to hear concert featuring student singers

Students are invited to attend Harmonia Chamber Singers’ March 2 concert, “Rise Up!”, at a special $5 per student price.

“We have more than 80 student singers participating in the performance from three city schools,” said Harmonia founder Robert Pacillo, also a teacher at Lockport High School. “This is reason alone to make sure their peers can attend. Beyond that, the program itself will be rich with contemporary and traditional arrangement of spirituals.”

The performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. at First Shiloh Baptist Church, 15 Pine St., Buffalo. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Student choirs from the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (directed by Karen E. Saxon and George L. Davi, Jr.), Frederick Law Olmsted High School (directed by Harmonia singer Monica Stankewicz) and Charter School for Applied Technologies (directed by Harmonia singer Sara Martinez) will also participate.

Stacey V. Gibbs, a renowned choral composer and arranger, is the special guest and will conduct the East Coast premiere of his arrangement of “Bound for Canaan Lan,” a jubilant expression of hope and determination. Harmonia and the combined student choirs will present this work – more than 100 voices raised in song.

Gibbs is a sought-after composer and arranger. Best known for arrangements of spirituals, he is acclaimed for his ability to infuse new energy into familiar works without sacrificing their authenticity or power. He serves as a clinician (nationally and internationally) for university, high school, professional and church choral organizations.

Tickets are $15 for the general public, and $5 for students under 18 years of age. School choirs and gospel singers are particularly encouraged to attend.

For more information on “Rise Up!” and the rest of Harmonia’s 13th concert season, visit www.Harmoniacs.org.