The Santa Ynez Valley Chorale Presents Spring Concert “Journey” - Songs along the road we share
2 performances: Sat, May 16 at 3:30pm and Sun, May 17 at 3:30pm
Tickets $20
The Santa Ynez Valley Chorale, directed by Hyejin Jung, will present its Spring Concert, “Journey” on Saturday, May May 15th and Sunday, May 16th at 3:30pm at the Veterans’ Memorial Hall, 1745 Mission Drive, Solvang. Tickets are $20, available on www.syvchorale.org, through Chorale members, at the Book Loft in Solvang, or at the door.
Our Spring program uses the road as a metaphor for life — the colorful journeys we take, the memories we make together, and the paths we choose that change us forever and shape who we become.
Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken serves as the starting point of our musical journey together. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, he plays with us as he reflects on life’s crossroads of choice and direction. From there, the program moves through music that evokes travel, memory, shared joys, and sorrows overcome. Days of Beauty deepens this idea by connecting the road to our past. The poem speaks of a “consecrated spot,” beloved in childhood – an inner place shaped by cherished memories that give us strength to continue.
Further exploring this idea, we take a trip along iconic Route 66, a symbol of the great American road trip westward. We re-discovered the piece in our sheet music library, and it recalls a childhood journey of our president, Richard Lane, driving from the north into the Santa Ynez Valley for the first time as a boy. Filled with joy, wonder, and happy times, this personal memory is just one of many that are part of our shared national story.
As the program unfolds, the music turns inward, addressing the challenges we face along our own personal inner path. The final selections speak of resilience, hope, and transcendence — of continuing forward in the face of difficulty. In Ad Astra, the phrase “to the stars through hardship” captures the heart of the program: the belief that it is especially through hardship that our journey can lead us toward light, meaning, and growth.
Hyejin Jung says, “Allow our concert to remind you to walk these roads not alone, but in the company of trusted loved ones – to walk with us for these 90 minutes — to remember, to persevere, and inspire each other to always look upward as we move forward.”
“The Santa Ynez Valley Chorale is excited to bring you this unique concert where together, we can share meaningful experiences together as we journey through life,” says Richard Lane, Chorale President.
###
The Santa Ynez Valley Chorale is a non-profit community organization that has provided choral music to the Santa Ynez Valley for 40 yrs. The Chorale presents annual concerts in the Spring and during the Holiday season and is available to sing by request for special events and holidays such as Memorial Day, Veterans’ Day, and 4th of July.
Location: Solvang Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 1745 Mission Dr, Solvang