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JOHNSON CITY – “Men in Song,” a festival and concert celebrating male singers from throughout the region, returns for a fourth year, with a new one-day schedule to take place Saturday, Oct. 21.
The event is hosted by the music departments of East Tennessee State University and Milligan College, along with the Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy (MECCA). The event will be held in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium of Milligan’s Seeger Memorial Chapel.
Participation is open to any interested male singer in one of two festival choirs: Boys in Song for unchanged voices grades 4 and above, and Men in Song for changed voices of any age. After a day of rehearsals, “Men in Song” will culminate with a free public concert at 7:30 p.m.
In addition to the two festival choirs of almost 200 singers, six men’s choirs will be featured in the final concert. They include ETSU’s BucsWorth Men’s Choir, ETSU SwashBucklers, Milligan’s Heard Mentality, the Appalachian Express Barbershop Chorus, the Appalachian Men’s Ensemble, and MECCA Men.
The Men in Song Festival Choir will be led by Dr. Alan Stevens, associate director of choral activities in the ETSU Department of Music, and Dr. Noah DeLong, associate professor of choral music at Milligan College. Stevens and DeLong founded the festival in 2014. The Boys in Song Festival Choir will be conducted by Jane Morison, artistic director of MECCA. The two festival choirs will perform together in the finale.
Stevens states, “The Men in Song Choral Festival is an event that brings together community members and students of all ages. In 2016, we had singers from ages 9 through 82. It is truly a unique experience, and an example of what can happen when people come together for the common good. I encourage everyone to come spend the day making music together. The festival has grown significantly each year, and we are looking forward to a bigger and better event than ever before in 2017.”
“This festival has inspired singers and audiences every year, and we are excited to offer yet another opportunity for young and old to join together for a day of singing and fellowship,” said DeLong.
Adult registration is $15, and student registration is $10. This includes all music. Lunch is provided for Men in Song participants and dinner is provided for Boys in Song participants. On-site registration for Men in Song (changed voices) begins at 9:30 a.m. On-site registration for Boys in Song (unchanged voices grades 4 and above) begins at 1 p.m. No advance preparation is required; all music will be learned at the festival rehearsals.
Registration, the complete festival schedule, information about the participating choirs, and more is available at www.etsu.edu/meninsong. Advance registration is strongly encouraged but not required.