Over more than 70 years, Polymnia Choral Society has presented a wide variety of choral works from traditional, Broadway, and popular repertoires. Here is a sampling of recent past seasons
2022-2023 Season
Saturday, June 4, 2022, 7:30 PM
THE JOURNEY HOME – Songs of love, loss, triumph, and hope
Our first live performance post pandemic. We dedicated the performance to the experience we all shared through the pandemic with music and an original narrative written by Evans Travis.
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
Saturday, December 3, 2022, 7:30 PM
FROSTIANA – The poems of Robert Frost set to the music of Randall Thompson
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
2019 – 2022 Pandemic
2018 – 2019 Season
Saturday, December 2, 2018, 7:30 PM
WINTER WORDS
Featuring seasonal music from classical music to pop culture.
Saturday, December 1, 2018, 7:30 PM
First United Methodist Church, 645 Main Street, Melrose
THE CREATION, by Franz Josef Haydn
A historically informed performance featuring fortepianist Sylvia Berry and instruments heard during the time of Haydn.
Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 7:30 PM
First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Wakefield
REVOLVER!
Featuring the music of The Beatles, with songs from the iconic album Revolver and other favorites.
Saturday, June 1, 2019, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
2017 – 2018 Season
Polar Landscape
A concert of music that reflects the beautiful emotions of the season.
Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 4 and 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
Letters From Ireland
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a performance of traditional Irish music, dance and more!
Saturday, June 2, 2018, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
All Shook Up
A tribute to Elvis, the King of Rock
2016 – 2017 Season
Saturday, December 3, 2016, 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
Sunday, December 4, 3:00 PM
First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Wakefield
Shining Night
A concert of music that reflects the beautiful emotions of the season. Featuring music by Samuel Barber, Ola Gjeilo, Henryk Górecki, Duruflé and more.
Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 7:30 PM
First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Wakefield
Brahms Requiem
Join Polymnia as we present this epic masterpiece, featuring soprano, Dana Lynne Varga and baritone, Dana Whiteside.
Saturday, June 3, 2017, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St, Melrose
ABBA-Palooza
Join Polymnia Choral Society as they celebrate the multi-colored universe of music through the eyes of one of the most colorful bands in history, ABBA!
2015 – 2016 Season
Saturday, December 5, 2015, 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
Sunday, December 6, 3:00 PM
First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Wakefield
Luminous Night
An evening of gorgeous choral works celebrating the season. Featured works are Luminous Night of the Soul by Ola Gjeillo, Little Tree by Eric Whitacre and Then Shall a Star from Jacob Shine Forth by Mendelssohn.
Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
The Life and Times of Anne Frank
The main focus of this concert is music that explores the hopeful and sometimes despairing relationship of art during times of world distress. The second half of the program will feature the chamber ensemble version of Annelies by British composer, James Whitbourn
Friday, June 3, 2016, 7:30 PM
Saturday, June 4, 2016, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Join us for this monumental and important work of the modern musical era. Polymnia and an “all-star” orchestra will present two concert performances at Memorial Hall starring Danny Zolli!
2014 – 2015 Season
Saturday, December 6, 2014, 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
Sunday, December 7, 3:00 PM
First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church Street, Wakefield
A Festive Song!
A concert of seasonal music through the ages. Works will range from festive music of the early renaissance to modern day and will finish with our annual carol sing.
Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 9 Herbert St., Melrose
PURCELL: Dido and Aeneas SCHUBERT: Mass in G
Polymnia will perform a semi-staged version of Purcell’s operatic masterpiece, Dido and Aeneas, followed by Franz Schubert’s exquisite Mass in G.
Saturday, June 6, 2015, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
Sondheim and Schwartz
The music of Stephen Sondheim and Stephen Schwartz. Celebrating the huge body of Broadway hits, this promises to be an unforgettable evening!
2013 – 2014 Season
Saturday, December 7, 2013, 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle St., Melrose
Canticles of Light
Polymnia celebrates the wonders of the season in a collaboration with the Treble Chorus of New England. The concert is topped off by a carol sing!
Saturday, March 8, 2014, 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle St., Melrose
Mozart Requiem
Polymnia Choral Society is delighted to present the Mozart Requiem with professional orchestra and soloists. The concert will also feature the world premiere performance of Demetrius Spaneas’ As If for mixed chorus and orchestra. Guest soloists will include Adriana Repetto, soprano, Eileen Christiansen, mezzo soprano, Joseph Holmes, tenor, and Dana Whiteside, baritone.
Saturday, June 7, 2014, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Join Polymnia for a fun-filled night of music by the Beatles with a complete performance of the iconic album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band!
2012 – 2013 Season
Celtic Christmas
A Ceremony of Carols • Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) plus Celtic arrangements of seasonal favorites with Irish tenor Brendan Carroll and a live painting performance by Melrose artist Tom Sutherland
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 at 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle Street, Melrose
THE ROYAL LINE
Requiem • John Rutter (1945-) with selections from England’s best known composers
SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013 at 4:00 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle Street, Melrose
BROADWAY and More!SPRING POPS
featuring Wakefield tenor Joseph Holmes
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2013 at 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main Street, Melrose
2011 – 2012 Season
A Victorian Christmas
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2011 at 7:30 PM
First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster Street, Melrose
Join the Polymnia Choral Society in their annual family Holiday destination! Music will feature Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols, Jason Robert Brown’s Chanukah Suite, and other seasonal works including the “Hallelujah Chorus”. One of Boston’s favorite baritones, Dana Whiteside, will join Polymnia in this wonderful, Melrose holiday tradition.
Romantic Revolution
FAURÉ REQUIEM
SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2012 at 7:30 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle Street, Melrose
Come and revel in one of the most romantic and atmospheric choral works ever created. This intimate evening will also feature a professional orchestra and soloists,
with rising soprano, Evangelia Leontis.
Spring Pops in Melrose!
A SALUTE TO THE “GREAT WHITE WAY”
SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main Street, Melrose
Join your Polymnia Choral Society in an evening filled with exciting songs from the Broadway stage.
Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, and many more!
Featuring the winner of the Polymnia Choral Society’s Spotlight on High School Talent.
2010 – 2011 Season
A Victorian Christmas
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2010 at 7:30 PM
First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster Street, Melrose
You are all invited to our home for the holidays celebration! Friends and family will come together for this holiday concert featuring familiar carols and other beautiful compositions for the season. Polymnia will also perform well- known excerpts from the Messiah, including the Hallelujah Chorus.
Romantic Revolution:
MUSIC FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE ROMANTIC ERA
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2011 at 4:00 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle Street, Melrose
Come together for Polymnia Choral Society’s concert featuring Michael Haydn’s Requiem. This piece was composed in Salzburg and greatly influenced Mozart as he composed his own requiem. The first half of the program will include arias and choruses from the beginning of the Romantic period and will feature Melrose favorite, Eileen Christiansen.
A Frank Sinatra Tribute
SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2011 at 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main Street, Melrose
Nothing says Spring like Polymnia Choral Society’s Spring Pops concert! Don’t miss this exciting annual event. Back by popular demand is up and coming chanteuse, Dayna Brown. The Society will also perform a tribute to Frank Sinatra and feature the next winner of the High School Musical Theatre Contest.
2009 – 2010 Season
A Victorian Christmas
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2009 at 7:30 PM
First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster Street, Melrose
Buxtehude’s In dulci jubilo, Higdon’s O Magnum Mysterium, plus seasonal selections
Words of Wisdom and Love
SUNDAY, MARCH 21, 2010 at 3:00 PM
Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School, 350 Lynn Fells Parkway, Melrose
Pirke Avot: Sayings of the Fathers-Mark Krossfeaturing the composer and the Melrose High School Concert Choir
Spring Pops in Melrose!
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main Street, Melrose
featuring the jazz ensemble The Majors and the winner of our second annual Musical Theatre Contest
2008 – 2009 Season
Saturday, December 6, 2008, 7:30 PM
First Congregational Church, 121 West Foster St., Melrose
EXCELSIS!
* Vivaldi’s Gloria
Featuring guest soprano Glenda Landavazo, winner of the 2008 NATS Song Festival, and mezzo-soprano Eileen Christiansen.
* Selections from Messiah, including “Hallelujah Chorus” and other favorites
- Sunday, March 22, 2009, 4:00 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle St., Melrose
QUEEN OF PEACE: A CONCERT OF MARIAN TEXTS
* Stabat Mater by Rheinberger
* Ave Maria by Schubert, accompanied by strings and flute
Saturday, June 6, 2009, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
STARS OF STAGE AND SCREEN
Our pops concert and ice cream social!
2007 – 2008 Season
Sunday, March 9, 2008, 4:00 PM
St. Mary’s Church, 46 Myrtle St., Melrose
ROMANTIC REVOLUTION
* Requiem in C Minor (1816) – Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842)
Come join conductor Murray Kidd for a talk on this extraordinary requiem at 3:30 p.m., prior to the start of the show.
The Cherubini Requiem greatly influenced Verdi, Berlioz and many of the worlds most famous composers and was originally performed in a crypt. If Beethoven had an iPod, the Cherubini Requiem would have topped his playlist.
Friday and Saturday, March 14-15, 2008, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
AN IRISH CELEBRATION WEEKEND
* Friday night featuring Blue of a Kind
* Saturday night featuring Polymnia Choral Society performing “The Letters From Ireland”
Saturday, May 17, 2008, 7:30 PM
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St., Melrose
BROADWAY AND BASEBALL
A Pops Concert in Nine (short) Innings.
Featuring exerpts from the musicals “Damn Yankees”, “Casey at the Bat” by William Schuman, “Pajama Game”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Chess” and other Broadway gems!