Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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MAY 17-23, 2017 UCW 19 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Advertising to Grow Your Business www.upandcomingweekly.com For effective advertising call 910.484.6200 today! As its 25th concert season ends, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers is going out with a bang — or more like a blast. A trumpet blast. "The Trumpets Shall Sound," the final concert of the year, is set for May 19 at Haymount United Methodist Church. The concert combines brass, percussion and an organ with the talented voices of the Cumberland Oratorio Singers. Artistic Director Dr. Michael Martin sees it as yet another way for both audience and performers to have a multifaceted musical experience. "I think the idea of playing with brass/percussion came from a couple of places. First and foremost, I am always interested in experiencing different colors of sound when combining certain instruments with choirs," said Martin. "While we have performed John Rutter's 'Gloria' in the past, I knew there were other pieces that we might explore, as well. I think we have done our fair share of music with orchestras and once with a jazz combo. I referenced to my choir that singing with a brass ensemble is like 'full contact choral singing!'" Over the years, the group has become a lot like a family. Martin believes the benefits of working as a team and sharing musical experiences can touch a lot of lives. "I wish more people in Fayetteville would want the experience of singing with people — collaborating with new singers — coming up with new ways to create more art. I think while the concert is wonderful, it is the journey to it that is the best part of the process, at least for me. "The concert doesn't last nearly as long as the whole season, so I soak up as much of those wonderful musical moments as I can. At the concert, it becomes almost a slideshow of the experiences we have enjoyed as a choir," said Martin. While music brings the performers together, Martin added there is more to it than that. "The COS helped me to understand Fayetteville and the way it feels as a place to work and live. In many ways, Fayetteville, for as large as it is, really feels very much like a small town. "Especially in the arts community, people are constantly advocating for its support while supporting one another. Many of the projects we have done throughout the years have been with the idea of building community through music," he said. "So, I am very grateful for COS because I now know this community a little better than had I simply been sequestered in my University position all these years." Martin is particularly proud of the relationship the group has maintained with the original conductor, Alan Porter. Other significant events include the group's induction into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame and being a finalist for the American Prize in Community Choir Performance. "But where we have truly won is in the way we have tried to connect and partner with so many different entities in Cumberland County," he said. Next year, COS will be under the direction of a new artistic director. He will be introduced at the May 19 concert. While the faces may be changing, Martin noted the organization would continue to expand its current partnerships and create new ones as the organization moves forward. "The Trumpets Shall Sound" starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $27 each. Students of all ages are admitted free with ID. Visit www.singwithcos.org to learn more about the group. The Trumpets Shall Sound by STEPHANIE CRIDER STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200 "The Trumpets Shall Sound" starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $27 each. EVENTS