Judith Clurman conducts SONGS FROM THE HEART with The Choral Society of the Hamptons

The Choral Society of the Hamptons is proud to present Songs from the Heart, a concert that explores a rich emotional and musical landscape through works of varied genres and eras. Under the direction of Resident Conductor Judith Clurman, the evening will feature a blend of choral music scored for string quartet and piano. The concert will be held at the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, 2429 Montauk Highway, Main St, Bridgehampton, on Sunday, June 29 at 5:30pm. The chorus will be joined by the CSH String Quartet—Song-A Cho, Ann Bermont, Christopher Shaughnessy, James Acomporo—and pianist Jeremy Robbin Lyons. Featured soloists for the evening include Amy Justman, Heather Jones, Jason Weisinger, and Joseph Beutel. Tickets available online at www.choralsocietyofthehamptons.org or over the phone at 631-204-9402: $35 (preferred seating tickets are $75 and student tickets are $10).

The concert opens with Samuel Barber’s Sure on This Shining Night, a lyrical choral setting of James Agee’s poetry that contemplates love and the quiet beauty of the world. Next is the New York Premiere of Listen to the World, a new work by Judith Clurman with text by William Schermerhorn and a piano quintet arrangement by Joshua Clayton. Written in 2024, the piece offers a heartfelt call for empathy and deeper listening in today’s ever-complex world. Also featured is the World Premiere of Matthew Sklar’s Hymn to the Earth, which sets Schermerhorn’s reverent text to music imbued with warmth, hope, and a call to environmental stewardship. The program then transitions to beloved American folk songs, including Aaron Copland’s arrangements of Long Time Ago, Simple Gifts, and Zion’s Walls, as well as a world premiere of a new arrangement of Shenandoah by Bill Cutter. The evening concludes with Places I Remember – Love Songs by the Beatles, a twelve-movement choral cycle arranged by David Chase. This cycle was commissioned by The Choral Society of the Hamptons, by arrangement with Hal Leonard Music. Pairing the iconic melodies of Lennon and McCartney with the expressive range of chorus and string quartet, this twelve-movement cycle reimagines the Beatles’ songs as a deeply emotional and resonant journey through love in its many forms.