Melodia Women’s Choir Of NYC Presents “Light Of A Brand New Day” Reimagining American Music With Female Voices

At a time when people yearn for hope and harmony, Melodia Women’s Choir presents a heartwarming selection of American roots music arranged for female voices in New York City on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3 p.m. Chelsea. Presented by Artistic Director Cynthia Powell, this unique concert features uplifting and assertive music that reinvents American Roots music for women’s voices.

The choir will be accompanied by the Melodia Bluegrass Band, a female bluegrass group formed for this concert.

Concert highlights include selections from Southern Harmony arranged by vocal ensemble Anonymous 4 and familiar favorites from Dolly Parton, Carly Simon and Carole King. Also featured are two newly edited gems by American female composers with the works “Sleep Song” by Margaret Bonds and “Night” by Florence B. Price. In a trio of specially arranged folk revival pieces, Bob Dylan’s performance of “Blowin’ in the Wind” is dedicated to former Ukrainian Melodia singer Okenka Dzhedzhora who sent a message from her beleaguered home in Lviv asking Melodia to “sing for me”. “The final song of the concert, “Still I Rise” by Rosephanye Powell resonates with a message of hope and resilience.

Cynthia Powell, Artistic Director of Melodia, said: “With all the uncertainty and turmoil in our world, we wanted to share music that offers some comfort and respite from the tumult of life and provides insight into some iconic American musical moments.”

The Melodia Bluegrass Band plays with Melodia. The performers are acclaimed musicians who can be heard on Broadway and in the bluegrass, jazz, folk and pop worlds, as well as on the classical music stage. The group includes Hilary Hawke, banjo; Barbara Merjan, drums; Ann Klein, guitar; Chelsea Starbuck Smith, violin; and Eleonore Oppenheim, double bass, with Taisiya Pushkar, piano. Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC, now approaching its 20th year, has earned a reputation as New York’s premier women’s choir. To date, Melodia has presented 34 concerts of works written for female voices, presented 12 world premieres (including nine original works commissioned from female composers) and performed with over 100 leading female instrumentalists.

Described as “fascinating” by The New York Times, Melodia has performed at Symphony Space, Merkin Concert Hall, DiMenna Center for Classical Music, and St. Ignatius Loyola Church, among many other venues. Melodia was recognized by the NYC Council for delighting listeners with high-quality musical performances and “for fostering greater harmony in our community and beyond”. Jennifer Clarke is the Executive Director of Melodia Women’s Choir. “Light of a Brand New Day” by the Melodia Women’s Choir of NYC, an in-person concert, will be held Sunday, May 22 at 3:00 p.m., at the Holy Apostles, 296 Ninth Avenue, near 28th Street, Chelsea, NYC. Concert information can be found here: https://melodiawomenschoirnyc.org/melodia-womens-choir-in-concert/

Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors in advance; tickets at the door are $25: Tickets can be purchased qt: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/light-of-a-brand-new-day-melodia-womens-choir-spring-concert- live-tickets -310821454337 COVID Policy. Spectators are required to provide proof of vaccination at the door. Masks are mandatory at all times. Visit https://melodiawomenschoirnyc.org for more information.