Elgin Master Chorale unveils ‘Voices of America’ season to honoring 250 years of American ideals

The Elgin Master Chorale is unveiling its 2025-26 season, “Voices of America.” In celebration of the United States’ semiquincentennial, this season honors 250 years of American ideals through two major concerts that highlight the work of American composers. These performances reflect on the nation’s founding principles, its evolving identity, and the values that continue to inspire its people.

The 79th season will feature two large-scale concerts held at the Elgin Community College Arts Center’s Blizzard Theatre.

Each program explores a different dimension of the American experience. The fall concert, “With Malice Toward None,” includes music by Morten Lauridsen, Florence Price, and Randall Thompson that delves into the themes of unity, peace, and civic responsibility.

In the spring, “That This Nation Shall Live” centers around “Terra Nostra,” a sweeping oratorio by Chicago-based composer Stacy Garrop that explores humanity’s relationship with the Earth and our shared environmental legacy.

Both concerts will include performances with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, projected supertitles for enhanced audience understanding, and pre-concert talks in the “Beyond the Bar Lines” series with Maestro Andrew Lewis, offering context and insight into the music.

Alongside these concerts, the Elgin Youth Choir announces its 2025-26 season, “The Song Within Us — American Musical Traditions.”

Throughout the year, the youth ensemble will explore the vast and varied soundscape of American music — from jazz and folk to contemporary pop, including artists like Taylor Swift — while celebrating the stories and traditions that define a diverse nation.

What’s in a name?

Both concerts take their titles from the words of President Abraham Lincoln, whose speeches continue to shape the American consciousness. With “Malice Toward None,” drawn from Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address, is a call for reconciliation and grace in the face of deep division.

This concert reflects those ideals through Lauridsen’s luminous “Lux Aeterna,” Price’s poignant “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” — in which a restless Lincoln grapples with modern injustice — and Thompson’s rousing “The Testament of Freedom,” which sets Jefferson’s powerful words to music.

“That This Nation Shall Live,” taken from the Gettysburg Address, speaks to the future we’re building and the legacy we hope to leave. The program centers around Garrop’s “Terra Nostra,” a powerful work that traces the birth of the Earth, the rise of humanity, and our responsibility to protect the planet.

Together, these concerts form a narrative arc — one of reflection, resilience, and hope — uniting the past and future through the power of choral music.

Concert highlight: With Malice Toward None

Elgin Master Chorale opens its season with a program that explores American ideals through music that is contemplative, inspiring, and deeply resonant.

Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna” offers comfort and serenity in times of loss; Price’s “Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight” imagines Lincoln as a restless spirit haunted by the struggles of a modern world; and Thompson’s “The Testament of Freedom” turns Jefferson’s writings into a bold affirmation of liberty and democratic values.

This concert features the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, projected supertitles, and a pre-concert talk with Maestro Andrew Lewis to enhance the audience experience.

The fall concert will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, in the Blizzard Theatre at the Elgin Community College Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive in Elgin. Tickets will be available starting in August on eccartscenter.org/tickets.

Concert Highlight: That This Nation Shall Live

In the spring, Elgin Master Chorale presents a timely and powerful reflection on environmental responsibility and the future of our world. Stacy Garrop’s Terra Nostra offers a sweeping musical narrative that explores Earth’s creation, the rise of humankind, and the climate challenges we face today.

With its rich orchestration and urgent message, the work asks us to consider the legacy we leave for future generations. This performance will be presented with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and feature projected supertitles and a “Beyond the Bar Lines” conversation with Maestro Lewis.

The spring concert will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19, in the Blizzard Theatre at the Elgin Community College Arts Center. Tickets will be available starting in August on eccartscenter.org/tickets.

About Elgin Master Chorale

For more than 75 years, Elgin Master Chorale has united the communities of Elgin and the Fox Valley through the transformative power of choral music. With over 90 auditioned singers, it is a premier symphonic chorus that blends musical excellence with community connection. The group presents choral masterworks and new compositions with energy and vision, collaborating regularly with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Folklórico Huehuecoyotl, Elgin Math and Science Academy, and Enriching Partnerships for Early Learning. Under the leadership of Music Director Andrew Lewis and Executive Director Tyler Hast, the ensemble continues to grow its reach and deepen its impact through artistic innovation, educational programming, and public service.

About Elgin Youth Choir

Originally founded in 1986 as the Elgin Children’s Chorus, the Elgin Youth Choir offers meaningful music education and performance experiences for youth ages 7 to 16 throughout Elgin and the Fox Valley region. Now under the direction of Elgin Master Chorale, the youth choir embraces its mission of “teaching life through song,” empowering young singers to grow in skill, confidence, and community. Through themed programming and public performances, the youth choir nurtures the next generation of musicians and storytellers in a joyful, welcoming environment.

Join the EMC & EYC Community

Elgin Master Chorale’s work is made possible by the generous support of donors, volunteers, and community members who believe in the power of music. Whether through attending a concert, making a contribution, or volunteering time and talent, supporters play an essential role in keeping choral music vibrant and accessible for all ages.

To learn more, donate, or get involved, visit elginmasterchorale.org or contact info@elginmasterchorale.org. For updates, behind-the-scenes content, and performance news, visit elginmasterchorale.org or follow Elgin Master Chorale on Facebook and Instagram.