As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, communities across the nation are reflecting on the many stories that have shaped who we are. Some of those stories are written in textbooks. Others live in monuments and historic buildings. But many of the most enduring are carried in something less tangible and more deeply human: music.
This April, the Springfield Choral Society invites audiences to experience those stories through its Voices of America Festival, a two-concert series exploring 250 years of American choral music. To be presented April 24 and 25, the festival offers not just performances, but an opportunity to listen – to the past, to the present, and to the voices that continue to shape our shared cultural identity.
American music has never been defined by a single sound. It is a tapestry woven from many traditions, cultures and perspectives. From the early hymns of William Billings, often called the father of American choral music, to the richly expressive works of Amy Beach, one of the nation’s first prominent female composers, American composers have long sought to give voice to the country’s evolving identity.
That voice has often been grounded in hope. When Illinois minister Rev. Josiah Kelley Alwood penned The Unclouded Day in the late 19th century, he offered more than a hymn – he offered a vision. Its promise of a place “where no storms ever darken the skies” became a musical expression of perseverance and faith, carried across generations and traditions. That sense of hope – of looking beyond present struggles toward a brighter horizon – remains deeply embedded in the American musical spirit.
Later generations expanded that voice even further. Antonín Dvořák, though born in Bohemia, helped Americans hear their own musical potential by embracing spirituals and folk traditions as the foundation of a distinctly American sound. In the 20th century, composers like Leonard Bernstein captured both the restless energy and profound humanity of American life, while artists such as Woody Guthrie and Dolly Parton reminded us that some of the nation’s most powerful musical expressions arise from its people and its landscapes.
That tradition continues today in new and vital ways. Contemporary composers including Chen Yi and Malcolm Dalglish expand the American sound by drawing from global influences and folk traditions, reflecting the complexity and richness of modern America. And in works like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, we hear a powerful affirmation of collective identity – music that celebrates neighborhood, belonging and the shared dreams that bind communities together. Miranda’s work reminds us that America’s story is not only about where we have been, but about the communities we build and sustain together.
“This music tells the story of who we are,” says Jacobsen Woollen, music director of the Springfield Choral Society. “It reminds us that America’s voice has always been shaped by many voices – sometimes in harmony, sometimes in tension, but always moving forward.”
The festival’s first performance, I, Too, Sing America, will be presented April 24 in the Old Senate Chambers of the Old State Capitol. The historic setting provides a powerful backdrop for an intimate small-ensemble concert exploring themes of identity, belonging and the ongoing search for the American voice. In the very room where civic debates once helped shape Illinois’s future, music will once again give voice to the American experience.
The second concert, This Land is Your Land, takes place April 25 at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Springfield and features the full Springfield Choral Society chorus alongside a select ensemble. The program draws its title from Woody Guthrie’s iconic song, a reminder of the shared inheritance that binds Americans across generations.
Through music spanning centuries – from Billings and Beach to Miranda and Dalglish – the performances reflect both the nation’s diversity and unity.
For the singers themselves, the experience is deeply personal.
When you stand in the chorus, you’re not just performing notes on a page. You become part of something larger. You feel connected – to the composers, to the audience, and to each other. In those moments, you understand that music is not just something we listen to. It’s something we share.
That spirit of connection lies at the heart of the Springfield Choral Society’s mission, “Community Through Harmony.” Founded to enrich the cultural life of central Illinois, the organization has become known not only for its performances but also for its commitment to building community through shared musical experiences.
As the nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary, Voices of America offers a timely reminder that America’s story is still being written – and still being sung.
It is heard in Billings’ call for a new nation.
In Alwood’s vision of hope beyond the clouds.
In Guthrie’s anthem of shared land.
In Miranda’s celebration of community.
In every generation, new voices join the chorus. New stories are told. New harmonies emerge.
And in listening, we discover not only where we have been – but who we may yet become.
Jim Kontio is president of the Springfield Choral Society.
This article appears in March 19-25, 2026.
