Tulsa Boy Singers spring concert, this Friday night

This coming Friday night, June 3, 2011, at 7:30 pm, the Tulsa Boy Singers will perform their spring concert at Trinity Episcopal Church, 5th and Cincinnati in downtown Tulsa. Tickets are $10 for adults, no charge for students.

The program includes both sacred and secular pieces. If you enjoyed the singing at the recent royal wedding, you know the beautiful sound a well trained boys' choir can produce. The Tulsa Boy Singers staff does a wonderful job of teaching the singers the skills and subtleties of vocal performance, continuing a tradition of more than 60 years.

• Franz Josef Haydn, St. John of God Mass
• Herbert Sumsion, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
• Thomas Tallis, If Ye Love Me
• Hubert Parry, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
• Stephen Chatman, Songs of a Prospector
• Hoagy Carmichael/Johnny Mercer, Skylark
• Loch Lomond
• Homeland

That last piece, Homeland, is a setting of the British patriotic hymn, "I Vow to Thee My Country," which uses a theme from the Jupiter movement of Gustav Holst's "The Planets."

Learning to sing in ensemble not only teaches musical skills, it teaches self-discipline, concentration, cooperation, and teamwork. It's been a great experience for my son, now in his sixth year with the group. If you know a boy between ages 8 and 18 who can carry a tune, consider having him try out for TBS. An opportunity for a brief one-on-one audition will be available

A reception follows the concert. A fundraising raffle for a "Wall of Wine" will be held at the reception -- $5 buys a chance to win 20 bottles of wine. You do not need to be present to win (or to enter that matter).

Like all non-profits these days, Tulsa Boy Singers struggles to cover its very modest expenses. Your support by attending, buying raffle tickets, and donating will help this valuable opportunity for musical instruction and performance to continue to serve Tulsa into the future.

As a sample of what this group can do, here's a brief clip from their 2007 tour of Britain, singing in York Minster: