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The Orchestra at Maryville College, MC Community Chorus to present joint spring concert, ‘American Spirit’

April 15, 2026

Spring concert poster for Orchestra at Maryville College/Maryville College Community Chorus

At 7 p.m. April 21 in Clayton Center for the Arts’ Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre, the Orchestra at Maryville College and the Maryville College Community Chorus will present their joint spring concert, “American Spirit.” 

“The concert celebrates some of the wonderful aspects of what people have often lauded as quintessentially ‘American,’ and it is a celebration of the semiquincentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” Community Chorus Director Dr. Dwight Dockery ’05 said. 

Dockery, alongside the Orchestra at Maryville College Director Dr. Ace Edewards, has continued the more than 20-year-long tradition of combining the Orchestra at Maryville College and the Maryville College Community Chorus for a spectacular display of musical camaraderie. 

“I think we have definitely grown more comfortable with all the externalities that come with this sort of choral/orchestral collaboration,” Edewards said. “Things like the stage setup, where we condense everyone together in the space that works best acoustically, and the intense first rehearsal, where we bring two ensembles together that have been rehearsing separately and have very limited time to mesh. 

“What feels ‘new’ every time is that each piece presents its own challenges when you suddenly hear different sounds while singing or playing something you’ve been rehearsing for quite a while. But that’s what makes these collaborative opportunities so exciting.” 

In addition to the members of both the Orchestra and Community Chorus, this particular concert will feature Community Chorus pianist Kate Wogoman, according to Dockery. 

“We are performing ‘Song of Democracy’ by Howard Hanson with just piano and choir, and no other orchestra,” Dockery said. “I’m happy that Kate will get to be celebrated a bit — she works really hard behind the scenes at all the rehearsals, and we love her, but we often don’t get to share the concert with her.” 

In addition to “Song of Democracy,” the concert will include “The Promise of Living” by Aaron Copland, who is often referred to as the “Dean of American Music,” according to Dockery. The Orchestra and Community Chorus will combine for that performance. 

The Community Chorus will also perform “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” arranged by Dan Forrest. The orchestral repertoire consists of “Where Liberty Dwells” by Tyler Arcari, “Noël” by American composer George Whitefield Chadwick and “Unbridled Spirit” by Katie O’Hara LaBrie, a fun and celebratory work performed by the orchestra’s strings.

The concert will take place at 7 p.m. April 21 in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre. Tickets are $12.50 plus tax for general admission, and free for MC faculty, staff and students with ID, although a printed ticket is required for admission. For more information, call the box office at 865-981-8590.

— Written by McKenna Marr ’28

Maryville College is a nationally-ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders, to study everything, so that they are prepared for anything — to address any problem, engage with any audience and launch successful careers right away. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, Maryville College offers nearly 1,200  students from around the world both the beauty of a rural setting and the advantages of an urban center, as well as more than 60 majors, seven pre-professional programs and career preparation from their first day on campus to their last. Today, our 10,000 alumni are living life strong of mind and brave of heart and are prepared, in the words of our Presbyterian founder, to “do good on the largest possible scale.”