Ars Musica Chorale and North Jersey Concert Band Join Forces for America at 250

Ars Musica Chorale launches its 61st season with America at 250, a special concert celebrating the rich diversity of American music in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. For the first time, the Chorale will collaborate with the North Jersey Concert Band for an evening of choral and instrumental music on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

Under the direction of Ars Musica Chorale Music Director Mike McCormick and North Jersey Concert Band Conductor Mike Roth, the concert will explore the many musical traditions that have shaped America, from folk songs and spirituals to works inspired by democracy and the American experience.

The program’s centerpiece is Howard Hanson’s Song of Democracy, a stirring work for chorus and concert band that sets a text by American poet Walt Whitman. With its rich harmonies and powerful musical expression, Hanson’s setting captures the optimism and democratic ideals at the heart of Whitman’s poetry. Bringing chorus and concert band together, the work provides a fitting highlight for this celebration of America’s musical heritage.

The program also features a diverse selection of works reflecting the breadth of American musical expression. Ars Musica Chorale will perform Windham, arranged by Brad Holmes; No Mark by Cecil Effinger; Angel Band, arranged by Ryan Brandau; Resignation by Florence Price; and I Sing Because I’m Happy, arranged by Rollo Dilworth.

The North Jersey Concert Band will perform Andrew Boysen Jr.’s Three Folk Song Settings for Band, featuring “Poor Wayfaring Stranger,” “All the Pretty Little Horses,” and “Scarborough Fair,” as well as Frank Ticheli’s Shenandoah. Following intermission, the combined ensembles will perform Chris Walden’s Kyrie and Thanks Be to God from Missa lubelium Aureum, followed by Hanson’s Song of Democracy.

Together, these selections offer audiences an opportunity to experience the many voices of American music through folk traditions, spirituals, contemporary arrangements, and a major choral work celebrating democracy.

Join Ars Musica Chorale and the North Jersey Concert Band for this special musical tribute to America at 250.

Concert Details

• Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: West Side Presbyterian Church, Ridgewood, NJ
• Tickets: $35 adults; $30 seniors and patrons with special needs; $15 students with valid ID. Children under 12 are admitted free.
• Reservations:www.arsmusica.org/concerts or 551-226-9305. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Ars Musica Chorale is proud to participate in the Families First Discovery Pass program, helping make the arts more accessible to families in our community. Eligible families may receive up to five tickets per family per concert. To redeem this offer, use promo code FFDP when ordering tickets online. When picking up your tickets at the box office, please present your Families First Discovery Pass card or eWIC card.

Established in 1965, Ars Musica Chorale is one of Bergen County’s oldest and finest choral organizations, recognized for presenting outstanding and distinctive choral programs. For more information about the Chorale and its 61st season, visit www.arsmusica.org. Ars Musica Chorale is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible to the maximum extent allowed by law.

This program has been made possible in part by funds from the Bergen County Division of Cultural & Historic Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.