The Visalia Community Chorus will bring more than 150 voices, a 50-member orchestra, and one of the most powerful works in the choral repertoire to L.J. Williams Theater on Friday, November 6, at 7:00 PM for Grant Us Peace, a collaborative performance with College of the Sequoias.
The centerpiece of the concert is Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, a sweeping and deeply moving work exploring the human cost of war and the enduring longing for peace. The music moves from quiet, intimate passages to moments of overwhelming orchestral and choral power.
Although its title means “Grant Us Peace” in Latin, Dona Nobis Pacem is not a traditional sacred-music setting. Much of its text draws from the poetry of American poet Walt Whitman, alongside biblical passages and other texts. Vaughan Williams weaves these sources into a deeply human meditation on conflict, loss, compassion, and the hope for reconciliation.
The 50-member orchestra will be the largest ever presented by VCC, accompanying more than 150 singers in a performance designed to showcase the full emotional power of Vaughan Williams’ score. The concert will also feature a special performance by Voces Lumine, VCC’s chamber ensemble.
Presented in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Grant Us Peace centers on themes of unity, peace, compassion, and our shared humanity. Students and community members will raise their voices together in a powerful expression of those ideals. The performance continues VCC’s longstanding partnership with College of the Sequoias.
VCC Artistic Director John Sorber, who also serves as the Choral Music Instructor at the College of the Sequoias, leads the performance, strengthening the artistic connection between the college and community chorus.
Tickets for Grant Us Peace go on sale to the general public Monday, October 5.