Appalachian Men's Ensemble to present "Keys on Fire!"
The Appalachian Men's Ensemble presents a concert titled "Keys on Fire!" Friday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m. at Munsey Memorial United Methodist, Johnson City, Tennessee, and Sunday, Feb. 19, 3 p.m. at First Broad Street United Methodist, Kingsport, Tennessee.
"Keys on Fire" features pianists Ann Lavender and Joshua Sumter accompanying the choir in works arranged for men's voices with four-hand piano accompaniments. The program includes different genres of music, ranging from classical works by Rossini and Orff to folk songs to African-American spirituals to a newly-composed trio of pieces by American composer Frank Ferko using the texts of famed poet, Dorothy Parker.
"I always strive to include something that will appeal to everyone," says Artistic Director Alan Stevens, "Every AMEn concert is unique. We perform a broad range of styles, and our audiences will hear something different at every concert."
AMEn is an all-male vocal ensemble of auditioned voices from throughout the greater Tri-Cities area. The group is dedicated to performing a wide range of choral repertoire – both sacred and secular – from the late Middles Ages to the present. AMEn represents one of the few male choral ensembles of its size to perform music of such a demanding caliber with a limited rehearsal schedule. AMEn was founded in the fall of 2013 and has quickly gained popularity in the region. Dr. Alan Stevens, the artistic director, is also the associate director of choral activities at East Tennessee State University.
Concert admission is a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, contact AMEn at AppalachianMensEnsemble@gmail.com. Singers interested in joining the ensemble should contact the chorus manager at the same email address.
