ISSUED: 2 April 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The Masterworks Chorale, consisting of Shepherd University students and community members under the direction of Dr. Steven Grives, presents Come away to the skies: a High Lonesome Mass on Saturday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Frank Arts Center Theater.
Come away to the skies: a High Lonesome Mass is a collaborative effort between long-time colleagues Tim Sharp, executive director of the American Choral Directors Association, and composer and arranger Wes Ramsay. It has been performed hundreds of time across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, including at Carnegie Hall in New York City and the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
This is a complete choral setting of the Ordinary of the Mass incorporating traditional southern hymns such as “Do Lord Remember Me,” “Brethren We Have Met to Worship,” and “Brightest and Best,” that carry forward the ideas of the individual sections of the mass. It is scored for choir and bluegrass band, including fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass, and drums with brushes.
Sharp will lead the bluegrass band, accompanying the chorus. In addition, audience members are invited to bring their voices and traditional instruments such as the guitar, banjo, mandolin, and fiddle to join a community sing- and play-along led by Sharp and the chorus to close the concert. Lyrics and lead sheets will be provided.
General admission is $15; $10 for Shepherd faculty, staff, and alumni, senior citizens, and those age 18 and under; and free for Shepherd students with a valid Rambler ID. Purchase tickets in advance online.
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