Berea College Concert Choir Hosting Fall Concert

By Adrita Disha
Berea College

BEREA, Ky. – The Berea College Concert Choir will present its fall concert, themed “We Are One,” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5 in Berea College’s Presser Hall Gray Auditorium.

The concert is free and open to the public. It will last for approximately one hour.

“We Are One” is inspired by Berea College’s inaugural One Reunion event in September, which combined the College’s annual alumni reunion and homecoming, with additional community-centered events.

Following the spirit of Berea College’s motto of unity, “We Are One” celebrates diversity, inclusion and the power of music to connect people across cultures and communities. Reflecting this theme, the choir will perform in seven languages: English, Arabic, Bosnian, Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Swahili.

The program features a rich variety of musical styles and traditions. Highlights include two movements from Ron Kean’s American Mass, as well as works by acclaimed female composers Rosephanye Powell and Elaine Hagenberg. 

The concert will feature 20 students. 

“My hope is for this concert to weave performers and audience members into a community like fabric in a quilt, reflecting the beauty of singing and being together in harmony,” said Dr. Xiangtang Hong, director of the Concert Choir and an associate professor of music at Berea College. 

The concert will also showcase words by influential writers Langston Hughes and Berea College founder John G. Fee. Musical selections range from original choral compositions to arrangements of hymns and spirituals.

The second half of the concert will be presented jointly with the Union Church Choir, highlighting collaboration between local musical communities and strengthening the program’s message of unity.

Through music from diverse traditions, languages and cultures, Berea hopes to celebrate the connections that unite people while honoring the unique voices that enhance the beauty of a community.

Parking is available in the Presser lot directly behind the building, or any campus visitor spaces. Both the first-floor entrance and main entrance are wheelchair accessible, and wheelchair-friendly seating is available in Gray Auditorium. 

Many of Berea College’s music events can be streamed live online at https://vimeo.com/bereacollegemusic.

For more information, contact Kyla Pike at (859) 985-3466 or pikek@berea.edu.