First Congregational Church High School Choirs Tour in April

The Alleluia Sound High School Choir and the Good Vibrations Handbell Choir from the First Congregational Church, 461 Pierson St., Crystal Lake, IL, present their 43rd Annual Spring Concert Tour April 24-27. This year’s tour begins with a traditional pre-tour concert during the 10:45am service at First Congregational Church in Crystal Lake on Sunday, April 19. The choir will depart April 24 to perform at several different locations during the four-day period, on Friday night at 7pm the choirs will present a concert at Lutheran Church of the Atonement in Barrington, IL. Then Saturday they travel Ohio to perform during Sunday services at Avon Lake UCC, Avon Lake, OH. On Monday, they will perform for St. Peter School in Huron, OH. They conclude their tour back in Crystal Lake with their “Welcome Home Concert” on Monday, April 27, at 7:00pm in FCC’s sanctuary. The public is invited to attend, and admission is free to all performances. The Alleluia Sound Choir is directed by Ann Tucker, Director of Music.

The Good Vibrations Handbell Choir is directed by Toni Gambini, Bellmaster. Accompanist is Jo Ann Black and Matt Potts will play percussion. The twenty-seven voice Alleluia Sound is made up of students from Cary-Grove High School, Crystal Lake Central High School, Crystal Lake South High School, Jacobs High School, McHenry West High School, Prairie Ridge High School, Woodstock High School, and Wauconda High School. In addition to providing weekly music at worship services at the church, they prepare a variety of musical selections for their annual tour. Alleluia Sound will sing the original composition, “Knock And The Door Will Be Opened,” written by Tom Vos to commemorate the choir’s 25th anniversary. Vos, a composer and professional violinist, grew up in Crystal Lake, attending Crystal Lake Central High School and singing in the FCC Choirs from preschool through his high school graduation in 1988. This song is now considered a signature piece for the choir. Seniors, Paul Holck, Jenny Lindahl and Maggie Tucker will perform a handbell feature “Harmonic Convergence”. “Lord You Are Light” by John Leavitt will be performed by the 2015 Alleluia Sound seniors: Lizzie Hendricks, Paul Holck, Jenny Lindahl and Maggie Tucker. Emilie Erbland, Blake Iscra and Codie Mahon will be soloists on Mark Miller’s “Welcome”. Priya Richard, soprano, will be the featured soloist in the choir’s processional by Z. Randall Stroope, “A Shaker Celebration”.

Alleluia Sound’s featured work will be the fantastic “Medley from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat” featuring Lizzie Hendricks, Paul Holck, Sam Sisler and Jenny Lindahl as soloists. The choir will also
perform “I Have Longed for Thy Saving Health” by William Byrd and “No Time” arranged by Susan Brumfield. The
Alleluia Sound women will sing the uplifting “Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying”; the men will sing “Cover Me
With the Night” by Andrea Ramsey, with tenor soloist, Will Restrepo. Good Vibrations bell choir will play “A Call to
Celebration” by David Angerman, “Come O Thou Traveler” by Jason Krug, “Timbrel and Dance” by Kevin
McChesney, “A Jubilant Song” by Judy Phillips and “Jubilee” by Arnold Sherman for part of their portion of the
program. The traditional “Bell Boogie” as well as “This Little Light” featuring Lizzie Hendricks, Jenny Lindahl, and
Maggie Tucker as soloists will close the tour program. The strong FCC high school choir tradition is evident during
“This Little Light” when alumni of the choir are invited to join along in singing.

Members of the Alleluia Sound Choir are: Aaron Beene, Emilie Erbland, Adam Evertsen, Andrew Gippert, Lizzie
Hendricks, Paul Holck, Ben Iscra, Blake Iscra, Cassidy Keegan, Davis Lake, Jenny Lindahl, Codie Mahon, Ally
Palm, Emma Perry, Will Restrepo, Priya Richard, Garrett Rothbauer, Alex Rouhandeh, Elizabeth Routzahn, Sam
Sisler, Emma Soden, Jamie Tarter, Maggie Tucker, Ryan Tucker, Alex Tyndall, Tom Wisser and Maddie Wittwer.

Members of the Good Vibrations Handbell Choir are: Emilie Erbland, Paul Holck, Blake Iscra, Cassidy Keegan,
Jenny Lindahl, Codie Mahon, Will Restrepo, Sam Sisler, Maggie Tucker and Ryan Tucker.

For further information, please call the church office at (815) 459-6010. You also can e-mail us at or check out the
Web site at fcc-cl.org.