Through times of war, peace, failure, and triumph, music has shaped the "American experience." This dazzling retrospective of the most memorable American vocal music of the century will feature works by America's finest composers. Poetry, popular songs and images will be interspersed throughout the program.

The concert includes Charles Ives's "General William Booth Enters Into Heaven," Aaron Copland's choral work "The Lark" and his "Simple Gifts" from The Tender Land and excerpts from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story. Also featured will be Randall Thompson's "Choose Something Like a Star" from his choral song cycle Frostiana, based on the poetry of Robert Frost, and Emma Lou Diemer's tribute to Emily Dickinson, "Wild Nights! Wild Nights!"

In addition to classic choral works, the choir and ensemble will perform popular and socially significant songs of the century. Music representing the various eras -- such as the "Turn of the Century," the "Roaring Twenties," the "Depression Years," "World War II," etc.— will include everything from Ragtime, Dixieland, Big-Band Swing and 50's Rock 'n Roll, to 60's Protest songs and Hymns of Global Conciousness such as Live-Aid's "We Are the World." The audience will participate throughout the program. Audience sing-alongs will include "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (marking the first World Series in 1939), "Happy Days Are Here Again" (published just prior to the 1929 stock market crash), "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" and others.