Noah DeLong
The public is invited to attend two concerts commemorating 10 years since the founding of the Appalachian Men’s Ensemble. This special program, entitled “AMEn Turns 10,” is performed at First Presbyterian Church, Johnson City, Tennessee, Friday, Sept. 29, at 7:30 p.m., and at Gray United Methodist Church, Gray, Tennessee, Saturday, Sept. 30, at 3 p.m.
The Appalachian Men’s Ensemble, which began in 2013 under the leadership of Tom Jenrette, provides a wide variety of singing opportunities to men from the Tri-Cities region. AMEn is committed to engaging audiences through musical precision, passion, and commonality. With a dual sense of spirited fraternity and professional excellence, AMEn aims to bring a variety of choral music to the community, and to educate, inspire and entertain audiences through its activities. The ensemble is conducted by Dr. Noah DeLong and accompanied by pianist Steve Sensenig.
The concerts feature favorite pieces from each of the past seasons, including “Zion’s Walls,” “Wayfaring Stranger” and “Loch Lomond.” Two former AMEn singers perform as featured soloists; tenor Chris Plaas sings “Nachthelle” by Franz Schubert and baritone Grant Coakley sings an arrangement of “Gone Home” by Tennessee composer John Wykoff. In addition, the ensemble premieres two pieces written by local composers specifically for the occasion. Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke has created an original setting of “Leaf” from a poem by Jeanette Brantley, and Benjamin Dawson has written “Sing Me a Song of a Lad That is Gone” on lyrics by Robert Louis Stevenson.
“We are grateful to the community for supporting the Appalachian Men’s Ensemble over the past decade,” said DeLong, “and we are excited to mark the occasion with this exciting program that will honor our past and celebrate the future.”
Donations are accepted at the door, with suggested amounts of $10 for adults and $5 for students. The Appalachian Men’s Ensemble is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Additional information and concert updates can be found at www.appmensensemble.org and on Facebook.
