A music-loving crowd stepped out of a balmy autumn afternoon and into Newtown Congregational Church on Sunday, November 23, to enjoy a special concert organized and produced by Newtown musician Jim Allyn, with the support of Newtown Cultural Arts Commission.

“Within Our Reach” featured the voices of the Newtown Youth Voices under Mr Allyn’s direction, as well as musical guest Peter Yarrow and poet Martin Espada. The program, subtitled “In Celebration of Fulfilling The Sandy Hook Promise,” served as a reminder that the local Sandy Hook Promise organization continues to work to engage and empower parents and communities with prevention programs designed to protect children from gun violence, in the areas of mental health and wellness, social development, community connectedness, bystander behavior, and firearm safety and access.

While radio audiences waited for the 3 pm start time of live broadcasts by radio stations WPKN 89.5 FM and WXCI 91.7, the audience already seated in anticipation of the start of the concert was treated to a personalized sound check — a preconcert sing-along with Mr Yarrow. Lou Pomales of WPKN and Mimi Kelly of WXCI co-hosted the event.

Fifteen members of Newtown Youth Voices entertained the audience to both classic songs and original songs during the afternoon, including the powerful “Within Our Reach,” written by Mr Allyn. “…anything can be, anything can be, and if you close your eyes you can see a land of love, a land of peace, a world within our reach…”

The group was joined by the Reverend Matt Crebbin of Newtown Congregational Church, the Reverend Kathie Adams-Shepherd of Trinity Episcopal Church, and Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel in singing “If I Had A Hammer.”  “Let It Be” highlighted the talents of local high school instrumentalists, as well.

Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame, dedicated a portion of his onstage time to expressing his belief in the power of music and the power of small actions growing to make large changes, before once more drawing the audience into singing along with him familiar and not so familiar tunes. Backing up Mr Yarrow was the Old Town Hall Band with Rob Bonaccorso on drums, Rick Brodsky on bass, Dick Neil on banjo, and Mr Allyn on mandolin, along with Mark Barden, director of advocacy for Sandy Hook Promise and local musician, on guitar.

Brooklyn-born poet Martin Espada mesmerized the audience with a reading of his poem, Heal The Cracks In The Bell Of The World — For Newtown After 12/14. Mr Espada shared this poem at last year’s midnight “Within Our Reach” concert, as well.

Many audience members opted to remain seated during the concert’s one intermission, in order to hear the live broadcast interviews with Mr Yarrow, Mr Espada, and Mr Barden. Mr Yarrow spoke extensively on his lifelong dedication to activism, from the 1960s when Peter, Paul and Mary joined the Revenend Martin Luther King, Jr, in Washington, DC, to his more recent efforts in reaching out for peace.

Mr Barden and Nicole Hockley later took the stage to speak in support of Sandy Hook Promise and the urgency of changing our current culture to one in which gun violence is not acceptable. Mr Barden and Ms Hockley are parents of children who were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Daniel Barden and Dylan Hockley. Ms Hockley is communications director at Sandy Hook Promise.

“Jim Allyn put the whole concert together to bring awareness to Sandy Hook Promise. He asked me to participate as a spokesman for the Promise and asked both James and I to participate as musicians,” Mr Barden told The Newtown Bee. James is the son of Mark and Jackie Barden, and big brother of Daniel. He is a “wonderful local musician,” according to his father.

Nor is Mr Barden a stranger to the famous Peter Yarrow.

“Peter asked me to join him and Paul Stookey in a performance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights rally with Dr King [in August 2013],” he said. “I have grown close to Peter Yarrow over the past nearly two years,” Mr Barden added.

 “On the brink of the holiday season we wish to strike a powerful note of hope, love, and healing,” Jim Allyn, director of Newtown Youth Voices, told The Newtown Bee earlier this month, and it was a promise fulfilled on Sunday.

To make the Sandy Hook Promise, visit sandyhookpromise.org.