For all you Montana A Cappella Society fans here's a list of Holiday Season Performances by this fabulous group:
MACS Fall/Winter Schedule
- Nov. 27 Friday: Main Street caroling and tree lighting - Details TBA
- Dec 6. Sunday: Schriener Hospital Benefit - Masonic Lodge, 113 S 3rd Street Hamilton
- Dec 7. Monday: Bitterroot Public Library - Hamilton
- Dec. 19 Saturday: Joint concert with Dolce Canto - Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center, 425 4th Ave Victor
- Dec. 20 Sunday: Joint concert with Dolce Canto - U of M recital hall of Missoula
- Dec. 27 Sunday: Holiday Concert- United Methodist Church, Eastside Highway and Cemetery Road
- Dec. 31 Thursday: First Night in Missoula - Details TBA
Love of the open road, love of country, love lost, love gone, love of God, and romantic love are all featured in song on the new CD released Thursday by the Montana A Cappella Society.
"We're trying to cover most of it on just one CD," said Artistic Director Don Matlock. "After all, if it wasn't for love how many of us would be here?"
The CD title is "Love is Here to Stay - 500 years of Love Songs". "It is aptly titled," said Matlock, "the oldest song is a French madrigal written in 1480 and the most recent song was written in 2000. That's 500 years - we're not lying."
Give Good Gifts, The Lord's Prayer, This is My Country, Danny Boy, Route 66 and Shenandoah are just a few of the wonderful songs on this CD.
The release party, held in downtown Hamilton, had the appreciative crowd enthralled with their tight vocals and their 1800 replica costumes. "Singing Route 66 in Victorian garb is surreal," said male vocalist Dan Hooten. The costumes are quite varied based on the personalities of the members - from fancy and refined to scrounged-together and smudged in soot.
Creating a fun time of music and interaction, the performers would sing the songs then take a break to visit with all who came.
"We want to share our love of singing with our friends and neighbors," said Matlock, "no matter our political differences we try to sing with one voice."
This is Montana A Cappella Society's second CD. Their debut album, released in 2006, was Christmasse Comes but Once a Year - a collection of favorite holiday music sung with this group's characteristic sound and precision.
They have traveled to San Francisco for competition and last year went with the Christmas tree from the Bitterroot National Forrest for the U.S. Capitol Tree Lighting and performances in Washington, D.C. They also recorded the theme song with musician Jack Gladstone.
The Society performs regionally, promoting awareness and appreciation of the art of a cappella singing through live performance, recordings and educational programs in schools. Contact them to obtain the C.D. or to sing for your memorable event this holiday season.
For more information visit their website: http://www.montanaacappella.org/. Or contact Don Matlock 406.363.5778
- Michelle McConnaha reporting for kpax.com
