American Folksong Concert in Berkeley This Sunday

The public is invited this Sunday, March 3, to attend the 10 a.m. Eucharist at Berkeley's St. Mark's Episcopal Church and enjoy "The Sound of the American Folk Song and the Music of Aaron Copland".

Cantor Ilene Keys and the choir of Temple Sinai, Oakland, will join the St. Mark’s Choir with George Emblom directing,  continuing a tradition that began in 2008 when the two choirs came together for the first time to offer Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms.

The choirs reunited to perform Songs of Peace in 2009, Songs of Freedom in 2010, and Building Bridges Peace by Piece: Connecting Faiths through Music in 2012. This year they will perform a collection of songs called The Sound of the American Folk Song and the Music of Aaron Copland at both the church and synagogue.

At Sunday's St. Mark’s Eucharistic liturgy, chorus selections will include two works by Copland including the motet “Help Us, O Lord” and “The Promise of Living” from The Tender Land.   In addition, there will be two sung settings of the Psalm 133:1 Hinei Mah Tov,   “How good and pleasant it is for us to dwell together in unity.” 

St. Mark's is located at 2300 Bancroft Way.

The St. Mark’s Choir will also join the Temple Sinai Choir for the synagogue's Shabbat Services, performing the same musical selections as well as others, on March 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit Street in Oakland.

For more information about the concerts, call 510-451-3263.