The Marquette Choral Society will present two concerts featuring the work of contemporary composer Eric Whitacre on April 27 and 28, in NMU’s Reynolds Recital Hall in Marquette. The 2024 Upper Peninsula Choral Leadership Award will also be presented at the concerts.
The concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m., April 27, and 3 p.m., April 28. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students, and are available at the Northern Michigan University ticket office.
The concert will feature The Sacred Veil, a 12-movement composition based on the poetry of Anthony and Julie Silvestri. It tells the story of their lives together and of Julie’s illness and death from ovarian cancer in 2005. Inspired by their extraordinary and moving friendship, the piece shares a human journey that many listeners can relate to.
The Choral Society is partnering with Trillium House and Cancer Care Marquette County in presenting this powerful work.

Other Whitacre works on the program will include Lux Aurumque, Sainte-Chapelle, Goodnight Moon, and Sing Gently.
The 2024 Upper Peninsula Choral Leadership Award will be presented to the charter members of the Marquette Choral Society, whose work and enthusiasm have helped maintain the organization for more than 50 years. Some of those original 1971-72 members still sing with the choir and will be recognized at the concerts. The annual UP Choral Leadership Award honors UP residents who have supported the growth of choral music.

Marquette Choral Society is a mixed-voice, adult choir of approximately 100 singers from a four-county region in the Upper Peninsula. MCS strives to engage, enrich, and inspire this region through the art of choral music. The ensemble was founded in 1971 by Dr. William Dehning and is currently led by musical director Dr. Erin Colwitz.
For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/MarquetteChoralSociety, www.marquettechoralsociety.org, or email choralsociety906@gmail.com.