WESTMINSTER WEST — The River Singers, led by Mary Cay Brass, will celebrate their 25th year of singing together beginning Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Westminster West Church. The River Singers is a lively mixed age group of 90-some singers devoted to singing music from a diverse blend of traditional music from around the world.
Over the years, the River Singers have hosted choirs from Kenya, Russia, the Republic of Georgia, the United Kingdom, and guest teachers from South Africa, Ghana, Bulgaria, Macedonia, the Republic of Georgia, and many more countries, giving the choir an authentic taste of traditional music from many thriving music cultures.
The choir is known for its exuberant performances of soulful, thrilling songs from Eastern Europe, South Africa, the Republic of Georgia, Great Britain, and from American folk and gospel traditions. Every River Singers session has a guest teacher from some world tradition teaching the choir specialized repertoire from that tradition.
This session the choir will host John Harrison, the dynamic director of the Montpelier Gospel Choir, to teach African American gospel songs.
The choir typically does a mix of a cappella and accompanied music - often with songs accompanied by accordion which the director, Mary Cay Brass, plays. Several excellent musicians from the choir accompany the diverse repertoire on fiddle, bass, percussion and other instruments.
The fall session will culminate with two concerts at Next Stage in Putney on Dec. 10 and 11. There are no auditions for this choir; all ages from teens on up are welcome.