Historian, author, and songwriter traces the ‘road to rebellion’ in song
McGRATHPR.com – Celebrating 250 years of American spirit by honoring Concord’s leading role in the birth of our country, Concord Women’s Chorus presents a historical concert “Songs of the Revolution,” on Sunday, March 23, 3 pm, at First Parish in Concord Parish Hall, 20 Lexington Road, Concord. The performance features Boston-based performing artist and historian Diane Taraz, also a member of Concord Women’s Chorus. Complimentary refreshments will be served. A suggested donation of $20 at the door is greatly appreciated.
To mark 250 years since the start of the American Revolution, Diane Taraz takes a trip back in time and traces the road to rebellion with songs enjoyed by ordinary people, especially those often overlooked, such as women and people of color. Enjoy lively ballads, serene hymns, bold marches, passionate laments, and songs created by both sides promoting either independence or loyalty to the crown. Dressed in a gown of the time, Taraz plays authentic instruments including the lap dulcimer and an “English guitar,” the type favored by women of the 18th century.
Singer, songwriter, historian and author Diane Taraz is deeply immersed in choral music and historical exploration. Diane has collaborated with several choral groups, including In Choro Novo, where she arranged her song “Silver the Moon” for four-part harmony. She has also been commissioned to compose works for various historical programs, like “Songs of the Revolution,” which she has performed in full colonial attire, and “Home, Sweet Home,” a Civil War program. Her historical music projects reflect a passion for connecting the past with the present. She leads programs that explore the lives of women through folk songs, Colonial-era music, and the songs of New England textile mill workers. Diane’s companion CDs, including “Songs of the Revolution” and “A Civil War Sampler,” feature music from these eras. She frequently performs at historic sites and creates educational programs that bring American musical history to life, including her course, “Singing the Past to Life” at Framingham State University. Taraz also serves on the Scholarly Advisory Board of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, based in New York City. For over a decade she directed the Lexington Historical Society Colonial Singers.
For the past two years, Diane Taraz has been a member of Concord Women’s Chorus, a 45-singer ensemble fostering the power of women’s voices through song. Artistic Director Jane Ring Frank conducts the chorus performing a wide variety of choral music, ranging from early music to contemporary repertoire, with an emphasis on works written for women’s voices.
Concord Women’s Chorus presents its spring concert “Still Heard Round the World: A Celebration of Music Written by and for Women” on Saturday, May 3, 4 pm, in celebrations of Concord250, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street, Concord. The performance features texts by famous Concord and New England authors. To purchase tickets, visit concordwomenschorus.org/wp/concerts.
Concord250 commemorates the semiquincentennial (250th anniversary) of the historic battles of the American Revolution, which began in New England in Concord and Lexington. Two hundred fifty years ago, the men and women of what is now Massachusetts secured their independence from Britain and created a new nation dedicated to the ideals of liberty, equality, natural and civil rights and responsible citizenship. Concord250 honors the community’s first 250 years and inspires Americans to imagine the span of its next 250. To mark this significant anniversary, residents, friends, and neighbors of Concord are invited to commemorate and celebrate this anniversary throughout the entire year, with marked events occurring this spring, particularly on April 19, 2025.
For more information about Diane Taraz, visit dianetaraz.com. For more information about Concord250, visit visitconcord.org/concord-250. For more information or to join CWC, email manager@concordwomenschorus.org, visit concordwomenschorus.org, and follow Concord Women’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.
About Concord Women’s Chorus
Concord Women’s Chorus (CWC), based in Concord, Massachusetts, is a 45-singer ensemble fostering the power in women’s voices through song. Singers hail from Concord and the greater Boston area. Artistic Director Jane Ring Frank conducts the chorus performing a wide variety of choral music, ranging from early music to contemporary repertoire, with an emphasis on works written for women’s voices. The ensemble has commissioned three new choral works to date.
CWC’s commitment to the mastery and performance of a dynamic repertoire for women transforms the act of choral singing into an instrument for collaboration, education, and connection. The ensemble features confident singers who care deeply about creating, through women’s voices, a source of strength and inspiration for themselves, the audience, and the world around us.
The chorus began in 1960 as the Concord Madrigals, a small group of women who expressed, through song, the strength of female community. Over the years the group has increased in size and capacity and greatly expanded its repertoire. In 2005, the Concord Madrigals became Concord Women’s Chorus, a name that reflects not only the evolution of the chorus but the abiding power of women’s voices.
In addition to concerts, CWC often engages in other performances and projects. The ensemble has engaged in several concert tours in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. For more information or to join CWC, email manager@concordwomenschorus.org, visit concordwomenschorus.org, and follow Concord Women’s Chorus on Facebook and Instagram.
