NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck Community Choir is preparing for its annual spring concert.
The choir performs two large concerts a year, once in December and once in May.
The spring concert will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 20 at St Hedwig’s Roman Catholic Church, 32 Golden Hill St.
Director Mark Silva said that the singers range in age from 16 through senior citizens.
“It’s a nice cross section of community,” Silva said.
Silva explained that for this spring the choir will pay tribute to English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The choir will perform a variety of William’s work, including Dona Nobis Pacem, which translates to Grant Us Peace. Dona Nobis Pacem is considered to be his most memorable and difficult piece, Silva said.
Silva explained that Dona Nobis Pacem, which contains six movements, was William’s plea for peace as the world escalated towards war in 1936.
“The choir has done very, very well. It’s not an easy piece to perform by any stretch of the imagination,” Silva said.
Silva said that last spring the choir performed the first movement of this song and performed the second movement in December; so the choir is not unfamiliar with the work.
For this concert, the choir will perform the piece in its entirety.
“They’ve done very well. It’s not easy to learn or sing. I’m very proud and honored to be the director of such a group,” Silva said.
Silva explains that the choir strives to do more than just entertainment.
“The mission of the group is to bring something to the community that they wouldn’t ordinarily see. I think we’ve done that with this piece,” Silva said.
