If you go
› What: Simmons-O‘Neal Memorial Concert.› When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7.› Where: Westside Baptist Church, 4001 Hughes Ave.› Admission: Free; love offering will be collected.› Website: www.chattanoogaboyschoir.org.
Singers in the Chattanooga Boys Choir and the Chattanooga Choral Society for the Preservation of African American Song will join voices Sunday afternoon, Feb. 7, for their 23rd annual Simmons-O’Neal Memorial Concert at Westside Baptist Church.
The concert is held in memory of two revered Chattanooga music educators who were also directors of the participating choirs. The late Edmonia Simmons, a public school music teacher in the former Chattanooga City Schools system, was a founding director of the Choral Society. Everett O’Neal was a public school music supervisor as well as longtime director of the Boys Choir. The two directors were close friends and contributed to the development of music and music education throughout the city.
CBC director Vic Oakes says that among the Boys Choir’s selections will be “Pie Jesu” by Tom Shelton, “Inscription of Hope” by Z. Randall Stroope, Andrea Ramsey’s setting of “Three Quotes by Mark Twain” and an arrangement of the Richard Smallwood gospel anthem “Total Praise.”
The Choral Society will present Moses Hogan’s arrangements of the spirituals “Battle of Jericho” and “I Want To Be Ready.” Other selections include Jester Hairston’s setting of “Hold On” and “How Great Thou Art” by Omar Dickenson.