Crystal Lake church choirs embark on 53rd annual spring tour
The Alleluia Sound High School Choir and the Good Vibrations Handbell Choir from the First Congregational Church in Crystal Lake present their 53rd annual Spring Concert Tour April 4-7, 2025.
This year’s tour begins on March 30 with Youth Music Sunday at the 10 a.m. service at the church, 461 Pierson St. Choir members will share selections from their upcoming tour for their congregation.
The choirs will depart Friday, April 4, to perform at several different locations during the four-day period with a 7:30 p.m. concert at Winnetka Congregational Church in Winnetka, Illinois.
On Sunday, April 6, they will share music during worship at First Congregational Church of Webster Groves UCC in Webster Groves, Missouri. The next morning, they will perform for St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Eureka, Missouri and then conclude their tour back in Crystal Lake with their “Welcome Home Concert” at 7 p.m. Monday, April 7, in FCC’s sanctuary. The public is invited to attend, and admission is free to all performances.
The choirs are directed by Ann Tucker, director of music. Jackson Pierzina is the assistant director with accompanist Danielle Cairoli.
The choirs are made up of students ages 14-18 from Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge and Woodstock high schools. In addition to providing weekly music at their church’s services, they prepare a variety of musical selections for their annual tour.
Alleluia Sound will perform the popular folk song “Down to the River to Pray.” “Blessed Be The Name” and “Hold Me, Rock Me” will also be shared. Seniors Eli Irwin, Adam Kyrouac, Daniel Meyer and Lauryn Tyndall will sing “Lord You Are Light.”
Alleluia Sound will also sing an original composition, “Knock And The Door Will Be Opened,” written in 1997 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.
Good Vibrations Bell Choir will play “Grazioso” by Arnold Sherman, “Rhythmic Praise” by Jason Krug, “Aria” by Michael Helman, and “Festival Sanctus” by Cathy Moklebust. They also will perform “Transitions of the Heart,” a new work by Matthew Compton.
The two choirs also will share the traditional “Bell Boogie” as well as “This Little Light” featuring Eli Irwin, Lauryn Tyndall, and Daniel Meyer. The five decades strong FCC high school choir tradition is evident during this song when alumni of the choir are invited to join along in singing.
For further information, call the church office at (815) 459-6010 or visit fcc-cl.org.