The concert is lauded as one of the music department’s biggest each year. And on May 17^th, with Albany Pro Musica, the Mt. Sinai High School Choir, professional soloists Woodrow Bynum and Carla Fisk, and a great cause all in tow, the music department plans to once again create a night to remember at the Massry Center for the Arts.

The concert, however, promises to be more than just an evening of fantastic musical performances. On July 3^rd, 2012, choral director Mr. Hoffman’s good friend Matthew James Koehler, whom he knew from Mt. Sinai High School on Long Island, passed away after a brief battle with kidney cancer. He was thirty-two years old. The Hopestrong concert will serve as a memorial to both Matthew as well as anyone who has battled cancer in any way.

Also in our thoughts at the concert is Dr. David Griggs-Janower, Albany Pro Musica conductor. Dr. Janower suffered a stroke during surgery in March and though his condition has improved considerably since then, he remains in physical therapy. His presence will certainly be missed on May 17^th, but the show will go on—and that’s exactly what he would expect from this ensemble.

The Select Choir heads into the concert fresh off a history making performance at the New York State School Music Association Choral Festival at Bethlehem High School on Thursday, May 2^nd. They performed at Level VI, the highest degree of complexity offered at the festival. They sang Rest by Vaughan Williams, The Battle of Jericho by Moses Hogan, and Sanctus from Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem. And they received a rating of Gold with Distinction—the highest rating offered, reserved only for the most exceptional performances.

During the first half of the concert, each ensemble will perform its own set of music. There will then be an intermission during which members of the audience can view memorials outside the recital hall. Members of the community are encouraged to submit information about and pictures of loved ones whom they would like to be honored in these memorials; they can do so through the Discovery Academy website. Also at this time, representatives from the Dana Farber Cancer Research Institute and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will be on hand to discuss their research efforts. Though admission is free, there is a suggested donation of $20 per seat, to be split evenly between the two organizations.

Following the intermission, Albany High’s Select Choir and Orchestra, the Mt. Sinai High School Choir, Albany Pro Musica, and professional soloists Woodrow Bynum and Carla Fisk will all combine to perform Fauré’s Requiem. The Requiem is considered a choral masterwork, one which promises to pay due homage to those battling cancer.

Promotion for the concert has been nothing short of extensive. The music department has launched a website for the concert, featuring information about the evening, a dedication to Matthew Koehler, and footage from last year’s concert at the Massry, with more content to follow. In addition, the music department and the video production program have collaborated to create a pair of commercials for the concert. And as with any event of this nature, simple methods like word of mouth go a long way.

The concert is set for Friday, May 17^th, at 7:30pm at the Massry Center. All are encouraged to attend and enjoy a night of great music as well as make a difference in the ongoing battle against cancer.

Hopestrong.