The Arkansas Tech University choirs will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America with a concert entitled “The Caged Bird Sings for Freedom” on Sunday, April 19.
The ATU choirs’ final performance of the 2025-26 academic year will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium, 407 West Q Street on the ATU campus in Russellville. Admission will be free and open to the public.
The program focuses on works by American composers. Highlights include a Joel Thompson setting of the Maya Angelou poem “Caged Bird” and a Howard Hanson composition entitled “Song of Democracy” that is based upon the poetry of Walt Whitman.
Performance groups scheduled to appear on Sunday include the ATU Choral Artists, the ATU University Singers and the ATU Concert Chorale.
A string quartet from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra consisting of Dr. Trisha McGovern Freeney (violin), Dr. Linnaea Brophy (violin), Beth Robison (viola) and Kristin Smith (cello) will join the ATU singers on stage.
The ATU choirs will also be accompanied during Sunday’s concert by ATU Department of Music faculty members Dr. Nicolas del Grazia on clarinet and Dr. Mary Trotter on piano.
Dr. Katherine Rohwer, ATU assistant professor of music, serves as ATU director of choral activities.
Visit www.atu.edu/humanities/music to learn more about the ATU Department of Music.
