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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Feb. 18, 2025)—Milligan University will commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a concert featuring the Milligan Concert Choir, Milligan’s a cappella group Heritage and over 90 high school singers. The choirs will premiere an expanded version of “The Day of Allied Voices” written by Benjamin Dawson composed for a chorus and instrumental chamber ensemble.
The concert will take place on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium in Seeger Chapel. The concert concludes the university’s day-long Invitational Choral Festival. The event is free and open to the public.
“The music performed at this concert will remind audience members of the importance of hope and faith during trying circumstances,” said Dr. Noah DeLong, professor of music. “Audiences will experience the connection of community as we welcome so many talented high school singers from across our region to perform alongside Milligan’s vocal ensembles. This unique collaboration and the piece they will perform will help remember our past and offer a message of hope for the future.”
“The Day of Allied Voices” honors the soldiers and sailors who took part in the landings of 1944, known as D-Day. The Milligan Concert Choir, Heritage and Milligan student soloists will be joined by singers from several local high schools, including Cocke County High School, Daniel Boone High School, David Crockett High School, Lakeway Christian School, Sevier County High School, Unicoi High School and singers from the Highlands Youth Ensemble.
The five movements of this piece are drawn from a variety of sources. The first movement, “Lord Have Mercy,” cries out to God for deliverance, particularly appropriate in the setting of war, anxiety, distress and upheaval. The second movement narrows the focus to the American people in the presidential prayer “Let Our Hearts Be Stout” delivered by Roosevelt as the Allied Forces were on their way to the beaches. The third movement commemorates the beaches of Normandy with the French text “Chanson d’Automne.” This poem was played over the air to covertly signal to the Allied Forces that the military maneuvers of “Operation Overlord” had begun. It also reflects the pain, sorrow and heaviness experienced by many during the war. Movement four, “For the Fallen,” was written during the First World War but is beautifully applicable to memorialize any military sacrifice. The final movement, “We Will Be Glad,” offers a window of hope in the belief that ultimately it is God who will heal us and our land when we turn to Him. It serves as an answer to the cries for mercy in the first movement.
For more information on Milligan’s area of music, visit www.milligan.edu/music.