The Dreams That Remain

It is nearly impossible to describe our collective experience during the pandemic, but the texts that perhaps come closest are Civil War poetry by Walt Whitman. At times achingly beautiful and at others violent, Jeffrey Van’s A Procession Winding Around Me for choir and classical guitar paints an intimate portrait of Whitman’s own experiences during the Civil War. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is to be wary of being vulnerable. Reena Esmail’s “When the Violin,” with text by mystic poet Hafiz, invites us to open ourselves to others again. Thomas LaVoy’s “The Dreams That Remain” also depicts a re-opening: the text “explores what happens to a person when their hopes and dreams are dashed and they are forced to seek out new dreams.” Framing the concert are selections from Heinrich Schütz’s 1636 Musikalische Exequien, his Musical Funeral Sentences. The final movement features a trio that creates a surround-sound experience as the choir accompanies a soul’s journey to heaven.

Ticket proceeds benefit Project Create

Please visit our website at www.thomascirclesingers.org for up to date COVID-19 procedures.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Church of the Epiphany, 1317 G Street Northwest, Washington, United States