Pemi Choral warms up for 50th anniversary spring concert series

PLYMOUTH — The 100-voice Pemigewasset Choral Society, known as Pemi Choral, will begin rehearsals on Monday, Jan. 22, at the Silver Center on the Plymouth State University campus for its May concerts “Sweet Rivers.” The two, special 50th anniversary concerts will be performed on Saturday, May 4, at the Colonial Theatre in Laconia, and Sunday, May 5, at Silver Center.

The Pemi Choral Society is grateful to the Laconia Putnam Fund for its sponsorship of the concert series.

The concerts will feature a commissioned work celebrating the chorus’s 50th anniversary, composed by internationally recognized composer Moira Smiley. Her commission is based upon the poem “Flying” by former PSU professor Jane Babin, who died from ALS in 2015. Other pieces in the spring concert include Shawn Kirshner’s “Sweet Rivers,” John Rutter’s “As the Bridegroom to His Chosen” and Franz Schubert’s “Mass in G.”

“The concert title ‘Sweet Waters’ honors the fact that the chorus is named for the Pemigewasset River that flows prominently through this area,” says Choral Director Will Gunn. The Abenaki word Pemigewasset means “swift current coming from the side,” describing the joining of the Baker River to the Pemigewasset.

The chorus continues to grow its membership and audiences. New singers are always welcome to try out the non-auditioned, community chorus at the first three rehearsals before committing. Registration will begin at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22, at the Silver Center ahead of the 7 p.m. rehearsal. For more information, visit pemichoral.org or email pemichoralsociety@gmail.com.