JACKSON, WY — On April 26th, Cathedral Voices ended its concert season with a jubilant, soulful celebration of the diverse cultural traditions that shape our community and our nation. Conducted by Laura Huckin, with special guest conductor Dr. Brandon A. Boyd, Songs of Spirit: Our Song, Our Story highlighted the power of music to tell stories, preserve heritage, and foster connection.

Saturday morning, April 25th, the Center came alive with singing and smiles during a free community workshop directed by Brandon A. Boyd exploring the African American roots of gospel and spiritual music. Saturday afternoon continued with an open rehearsal as the Cathedral Voices Chamber Choir worked intensely with Dr. Boyd to prepare for Sunday’s afternoon concert, Songs of Spirit.

Songs of Spirit commenced with an acknowledgment of the ancestral homelands of the Native American tribes indigenous to this region. Vibrant and diverse selections of music from Ireland, Mexico, Peru, North America, and the Middle East honored the voices and personal stories of the local community (including members of the Cathedral Voices choir). Traditional instruments such as the cajón, tumbadoras, guitar, and flute accompanied local vocalists showcasing cultural music in Spanish, Hebrew, and English.

Conducted by Dr. Boyd, the second half of the concert invited a deeper appreciation for Black history and its enduring influence on American music. Cathedral Voices Chamber Choir performed gospels, spirituals, and concert music composed and arranged by African American composers, including several women of color. At the conclusion, the audience was invited to stand and sing as Cathedral Voices brought the house down with a contemporary gospel arrangement written by Brandon A. Boyd himself.

The afternoon concluded with a celebratory toast in the Center Theater Lobby as musicians and audience gathered together in appreciation of our shared heritage and the unity we find through music.

Throughout the weekend, the theme of honoring our past was reinforced by an interactive display in the Center Theater Lobby, supported by the Wyoming Semiquincentennial Planning Task Force.  Cathedral Voices invited participants, musicians, and audience to mark their history with colored pins on a giant 6-foot world map.  Additional prompts and note cards invited further elaboration of personal stories, a reminder that our collective diversity as a community, and as a nation, is unique and worthy of celebration.

Songs of Spirit: Our Song, Our Story was an incredible display of community harmony and integrity as Cathedral Voices Chamber Choir was joined by local instrumentalists and soloists to recognize, remember, and rejoice in our history as Wyomingites.

The concert and weekend events were supported in part by an Arts for All Wyoming 250 grant from the Teton County Semiquincentennial Committee as well as the Wyoming Arts Council, private foundations, and local institutions and businesses.

Event Highlights

• free community singing workshop
• interactive lobby display, “Honoring our Past”
• local vocal soloists and instrumental guests
• guest conductor Brandon A. Boyd from the University of Missouri