Westminster College Plans Special Music for Palm Sunday Vespers

Westminster College will celebrate Palm Sunday with special music by the Concert Choir, April 1, at 7 p.m. in Wallace Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

"This 30-minute work is titled "Song of Wisdom, from Old Turtle," said Dr. Robin Lind, Westminster director of choral activities. "The music was composed by Joseph M. Martin and was first published in 2000. The work is based on the award-winning children's book Old Turtle, which was written by Douglas Wood.

"The composer uses narrators and chorus to tell the story, beginning with the individual viewpoints of the animals of the world that are having an argument about whom and what God is," Lind said. "The chorus echoes the views of each animal in the argument increasing in volume until one shouts stop.' It's the Old Turtle who tells them that God is all of these things. The Old Turtle tells the animals that a new family of beings' will soon come and that they will bring a message of love from God to the earth&and a prayer from the earth back to God.'

"The last section moves from the entrance of man into the world to a time when men are fighting and destroying both themselves and the earth. The piece concludes with a beautiful section describing how the people finally begin to listen and to hear and see God in one another and in the beauty of the earth.'"

Contact Lind at (724) 946-7278 or e-mail lindra@westminster.edu for more information.

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