Chorale Society receives grant for "Let Freedom Sing"

The Mission Valley Choral Society will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with a special musical program, “Let Freedom Sing,” with performances at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the St. Ignatius Mission and 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Polson.

The choir was awarded a grant from the Montana Historical Society’s Montana 250th Commission in March. Grant recipients were selected to engage Montanans with the nation’s history, including the millennia of Indigenous history prior to the founding of the United States. 

Director Cathy Gillhouse has chosen 14 inspirational pieces spanning a variety of styles, including traditional spirituals, jazz and patriotic standards.

Gillhouse notes that the musical selections reflect some of humanity’s deepest aspirations: the longing for loved ones to return home, the pursuit of freedom from oppression, and the joy of celebrating all that a promised land represents.

The concerts are free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken at Saturday’s performance to support the choir’s music expenses. Proceeds from the Sunday freewill offering will benefit Helping Hands of Mission Valley.

More information is available on the MVCS website at missionvalleychoralsociety.org or on its Facebook page. For additional details, call 406-261-3304 or 406-260-6103.