BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Concert Choir will host “Songs of The Journey,” a concert by Charles Mays Jr., bass, on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 3 p.m. at Centre Congregational Church on Main Street.
Mays will sing a program of songs in celebration of Black History Month that, in his words, “reflect themes that touch the lives of everyone in some way. Although all of the songs are either written by Black people or are spirituals organically composed by field workers and arranged by Black people, the experiences of being down, rising up, going over, and looking forward are universal."
Mays has been a featured soloist and recitalist with many international orchestras and festivals, and has sung with the Metropolitan Opera, the Cairo Opera, and the Vienna State Opera. He was a participant at the Marlboro Music Festival, and was showcased on tour with the Musicians from Marlboro.
Locally, he has been seen in concert with the Brattleboro Concert Choir, and with the New England Bach Festival. In addition to performing, Mays is a noted vocal instructor and coach, and has a special passion for talking to elementary and high school students on the historic power of song in the Black-American community.
For this program Mays will be accompanied by his long-time friend and musical collaborator, Concert Choir director Susan Dedell.
“I love accompanying singers,” said Dedell, “and I have long felt an affinity for this particular music, and I adore Charles - so I'm in heaven."