The Dessoff Choirs will celebrate the Bicentennial of American poet Walt Whitman on May 31, 2019 at the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew.

The performance will feature the world premiere of music by Eve Beglarian and Matthew Aucoin. First up will be Beglarian’s setting for “A Song Of the Rolling Earth.” That will be followed by choral arrangements of Aucoin’s acclaime opera “Crossing.” Ian Sturges Milliken’s “Quicksand Years” will also make its world premeire.

“The Dessoff Choirs is thrilled to be premiering new works by two of the most innovative composers in the business today, Eve Beglarian and Matthew Aucoin,” stated Malcolm J. Merriweather, ninth Music Director and conductor of The Dessoff Choirs, in a press release. “I am delighted that we are contributing to the Whitman choral repertory.”

The program will also feature music of Howard Hansen and Douglas Geers. Capping the program will be “Two Whitman Songs” by Gregg Smith.