Arkansas Tech University (ATU) choirs are set to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States with a special concert titled “The Caged Bird Sings for Freedom.” Scheduled for Sunday, April 19, at 2:30 p.m., the event will take place in Witherspoon Auditorium on the ATU campus in Russellville. This free concert will feature performances by ATU’s Choral Artists, University Singers, and Concert Chorale, presenting works by prominent American composers. The program includes a choral setting of Maya Angelou’s poem “Caged Bird” by Joel Thompson and Howard Hanson’s “Song of Democracy,” which is inspired by Walt Whitman’s poetry.
Joining the choirs on stage will be a string quartet from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, including violinists Trisha McGovern Freeney and Linnaea Brophy, violist Beth Robison, and cellist Kristin Smith. The university’s music faculty will also contribute, with Nicolas del Grazia on clarinet and Mary Trotter on piano. Katherine Rohwer, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at ATU, leads the choir through this patriotic musical celebration.
In nearby Little Rock, the River City Men’s Chorus is also hosting concerts themed around freedom. Their program, titled “FREEDOM!”, offers a choral tribute to the many ways people envision and experience liberty. Performances are scheduled for Sunday and Monday evenings at St. James United Methodist Church. The chorus will be joined by mezzo-soprano Satia Spencer in renditions of songs such as “Stand Up,” “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?”, and a medley combining “I Sing Because I’m Happy” with “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” The program also features musical settings of poems by Langston Hughes and writings from Thomas Jefferson, including selections from Randall Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom.” David Glaze conducts this moving tribute to American ideals.
Both events highlight songs about freedom as a way to honor patriotism and celebrate American heritage through choral music. These performances not only commemorate historical milestones but also emphasize the enduring power of music to inspire hope and unity.
Admission to both concerts is free and open to the public, inviting community members to join in these artistic celebrations of freedom. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early due to limited seating availability.
These concerts reflect a broader cultural trend of using music as a means to engage audiences with themes of liberty and democracy. By featuring works that blend poetry, history, and melody, these choirs provide a rich experience that connects listeners to the ideals upon which the United States was founded.
