In response to the tragedy and loss suffered by the people of Newtown, Connecticut Choral Society will perform a free concert, “In Memoriam,”  on Sunday, June 23.

The concert will begin at 7 pm and will be at Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main Street in Newtown.

Admission is open to everyone.

The New Jersey Choral Society, the choir of historic St Malachy’s-The Actors’ Chapel, and Keystone State Boychoir will also be participating.

Leonard Bernstein once said: “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” The Connecticut Choral Society has crafted this concert to give solace, hope, and inspiration to the audience.

The featured piece of the evening, John Rutter’s Mass of the Children, was born out of heartache and great loss. After Rutter’s college-age son was killed in an accident, the composer was unable to write music for over two years. He emerged with Mass of the Children, a work that includes many of the composer’s familiar and well-loved staples: flowing melodies, catchy rhythms, and pop-tinged harmonies. The work premiered in February 2003.

The program will also include Durufle’s Ubi Caritas, Rutter’s Gaelic Blessing and selected pieces sung by Keystone State Boy Choir.

Under the direction of Music Director Steven Fisher, Keystone State Boychoir (KSB) consists of more than 150 young men between the ages of eight and 18 who sing a repertoire from the classical to the contemporary. KSB’s mission is to provide superior choral music education and performance opportunities for young people from diverse economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds and to pursue artistic excellence that inspires performers and audiences alike.

No tickets are required for this free concert. The audience is encouraged to arrive early to get a seat.

For more information contact Connecticut Choral Society at ctchoral@comcast.net or visit www.ctchoralsociety.org.