Melodia Women’s Choir presents “Sun, Moon and Stars,” a celebration of the universe as a constant force and source of wonder among Earth’s catastrophic challenges. On the heels of two virtual concerts over the course of the pandemic, Melodia is thrilled to be performing in-person together again, in what will be their first official live concert since November 2019.

While Melodia will be continuing their mission of singing lesser-known works, such as Moonplay by Lee R. Kesselman and Songs of the Lights by Imant Raminsh, the program also features more familiar repertoire. These include Sure on This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen, with words by poet James Agee, and the nostalgic tune, When You Wish Upon a Star, from Walt Disney’s 1940 film, Pinocchio. The choir will also perform I Dream a World by Andre J. Thomas for the first time in-person, giving a nod to their May 2021 virtual concert.

“The steadfast presence of the stars, the moon and the sun is a comfort to us,” comments Artistic Director Cynthia Powell. “We know they’re there, that time on their scale is barely fathomable, and the knowledge of their ineffable presence in spite of the exigencies of life on this pale blue dot has a grounding effect on our collective psyche. When we might feel hopeless or frustrated, wondering what the fate of our human race will be, we can look to the sun, moon and stars for strength, for hope, and for constancy."

Rounding out the concert are Randall Thompson’s Choose Something Like a Star, Stars by Ēriks Ešenvalds, accompanied by tuned water glasses, and an instrumental interlude of Claude Debussy’s Clair de Lune, featuring longtime Melodia collaborative pianist Taisiya Pushkar and Francesca Ferrara on flute.

"Sun, Moon and Stars" will be presented live on November 21, 4:00 PM, at the Church of the Holy Apostles. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors in advance, while tickets at the door are $25. A virtual concert via YouTube with excerpts from the live performance and messages from Melodia members will be presented on December 18 at 7 PM for those who cannot attend in person. Visit melodiawomenschoirnyc.org/ for more information.