Mystical and Beloved

A mosaic of choral music that transports the soul and warms the heart, Mystical and Beloved celebrates the pieces and composers that have resonated most deeply with members of the Oak Ridge Chorus. Drawn from a variety of musical styles, eras, and traditions, this program explores themes of faith, wonder, hope, and the beauty that surrounds us, inviting audiences on a journey that is both personal and meaningful.

Featuring choir and string quartet, the concert is anchored by Ralph Vaughan Williams’ beloved Five Mystical Songs, a powerful and moving work that combines soaring melodies with the poetry of George Herbert. The program also includes Mozart’s exquisite Ave Verum Corpus and Morten Lauridsen’s radiant Sure on This Shining Night, works that offer moments of serenity, reflection, and awe.

The natural world and the paths we choose in life are reflected in Ola Gjeilo’s evocative The Lake of Innisfree and Randall Thompson’s setting of Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken. Together, these pieces invite listeners to pause, reflect, and consider the places and experiences that shape who we are.

A spirit of hope and renewal runs throughout the evening, from the uplifting strains of Alice Parker’s Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal to Dolly Parton’s Light of a Clear Blue Morning and Mark Miller’s setting of a powerful WWII inscription: I Believe.

Filled with audience favorites and cherished selections from chorus members, Mystical and Beloved offers an evening of music that speaks to both heart and spirit