The Cantata Singers to present ‘Requiem for the Living’ and ‘Te Deum’ by Dan Forrest

On March 4, beginning at 3 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer in Sayre, the Cantata Singers will present “Requiem for the Living” and “Te Deum” by Dan Forrest as part of their Recital Series. 

You are sure to be inspired as the Cantata Singers, accompanied by chamber ensemble, harp and organ, present the music of Breesport native Dan Forrest in at the Church of the Redeemer. 

The Cantata Singers were founded in Elmira in 1964 as a community-based choral organization whose mission is to provide high quality performances of great music for the entertainment and education of their audiences and singers. They are directed by Will Wickham, who is now in his 22nd season as director and is a long-time member of The Cantata Singers. 

The program begins at 3 p.m., proceeded by a prelude on the carillon at 2:45 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

The concert will include two sacred works for chorus and chamber ensemble, “Requiem for the Living” (2012) and “Te Deum” (2015), both by Dan Forrest. “Requiem”, a work in five movements, is a prayer for rest (Requiem) but for the living as well as for the dead – an appeal to grant US rest even more than to grant THEM rest. 

“Te Deum” (We Praise Thee, O God) is a three-movement setting of the early Christian hymn text still in use today in liturgical churches. The composer Dan Forrest has been described as having “an undoubted gift for writing beautiful music … that is truly magical” (NY Concert Review), … “superb writing … full of spine-tingling moments” (Salt Lake Tribune). His choral works received numerous awards and have been featured on national radio and TV broadcasts.

The next concert on the Recital Series is scheduled for April 29 at 3 p.m., and will be presented by members of the Striking Strings Dulcimer Ensemble under the direction of Mitzie Collins and Linda Sniedze Taggart. The program, entitled “Music from Around the World,” will feature the happy sound of many hammered dulcimers enhanced by the addition of an accordion, recorders, Scottish small-pipes, and the medieval hurdy-gurdy. 

The Church of the Redeemer is located at 201 S. Wilbur Ave. in Sayre.