Two Choruses, Orchestra Plead for Peace
‘The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace’ is April 14 in Vero Beach
(VERO BEACH, FL) April 1, 2024 – Nearly 100 singers and 55-piece orchestra will fill the stage – in a musical appeal for peace at 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 14 at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center, 1707 16th Street in Vero Beach. That’s when the Vero Beach Choral Society and the young voices of the Vero Beach High School Chorus will come together to perform The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace under the baton of Dr. Jacob Craig. The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a 13-movement work by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, first performed in 2000 to mark the transition from one millennium to another. The framework for The Armed Man is provided by the traditional Catholic Mass and includes settings of the Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei and Benedictus. In addition, the text incorporates passages from other religious and historical sources, including the Islamic call to prayer, the Bible and the Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata. Soloists for the work include Julia Glunt, soprano; Laura Glunt, alto; James Morris, tenor and Eric Martinez, baritone. Ben Walding will be featured on the cello. Alto soloist, Laura Glunt is also the choral director for the Vero Beach High School Chorus. Admission to The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is free of charge. Donations to defray the cost of production will be accepted at the doors before and after the concert. For more information, visit www.VeroBeachChoralSociety.org or call (207) 650-0094.
Dr. Jacob Craig, Artistic Director and Conductor for the Vero Beach Choral Society, hopes the concert will be another reminder for people to seek peace in the world.
“Each movement of this work is impactful,” said Dr. Craig, who also is the director of music and arts at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. “Daily, we learn about the horrors of war in conflicts between Ukraine and Russia, and Israel and Palestine. We must remember to strive for peace always, and this work is that reminder.”
The 55-piece orchestra for The Armed Man includes a string section filled with a number of students from the Brevard String Academy. Many of these youth players are recipients of the Vero Beach Choral Society scholarship program. The Vero Beach Choral Society is 501(c)(3) nonprofit and relies on community support to fund its musical scholarships for students in grades 6-12.
The nonprofit Vero Beach Choral Society has been thrilling audiences since its formation in 1984. The 60-member group is at home at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, known for its musical and artistic outreach to the Central Florida community. For a list of upcoming events or for more information, visit www.VeroBeachChoralSociety.org or call (207) 650-0094.