The West Hartford Symphony Orchestra together with the West Hartford Women’s Chorale will host a free on July 1, 2026.

Submitted

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra (WHSO) and the West Hartford Women’s Chorale (WHWC) will join talents for “A Concert in Salute to America’s 250th Anniversary,” a special evening of music and community on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Duffy Elementary School, 95 Westminster Drive, West Hartford. Admission is free and all are welcome.

The centerpiece of the evening is the world premiere of Paean to Our Heroes, an original work for chorale and orchestra composed for the occasion by WHSO Music Director Richard Chiarappa. The piece pays homage to all branches of the armed forces – including the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and the nation’s newest branch, the Space Force – as well as firefighters and first responders.

Richard Chiarappa, co-founder and conductor of the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Courtesy photo (we-ha.com file photo)

“The culminating America 250 program featuring the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the West Hartford Women’s Chorale reflects the power of music and the arts to transcend generations, connect communities, and tell the evolving story of America,” said West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor. “This performance honors the complexity, resilience, and promise of our country, while celebrating the shared humanity that continues to unite us across generations and experiences.”

The West Hartford Women’s Chorale, under Artistic Director Susan Barone Chrzanowski, will perform a selection of American music spotlighting female and African American composers and arrangers, including Elaine Hagenberg’s Measure Me, Sky!, Rollo Dilworth’s United in Purpose (set to a text by Maya Angelou), and Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie, attributed to legendary folk and blues artist Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter).

West Hartford Women’s Chorale. Courtesy photo (we-ha.com file photo)

The program pays tribute to great American composers, with works by Aaron Copland (Hoe-down from “Rodeo”), John Williams (Raiders March), and Connecticut’s own Leroy Anderson (Buglers’ Holiday), alongside beloved patriotic favorites including America the Beautiful, an Armed Forces Salute, and Sousa’s The Stars and Stripes Forever.

The evening also features soprano soloist Kate Hardman, who will open the concert with The Star-Spangled Banner, and narrators Sheri Zaccardi and Ray Hardman, who will lend their voices to the Armed Forces Saluteand Chiarappa’s setting of The Gettysburg Address. WHSO concertmaster Carin Wiesner Hoffman will be featured as violin soloist in Jay Ungar’s Ashokan Farewell.

The concert is presented with the support of the Town of West Hartford, the America 250 Concert Committee, and West Hartford Community Interactive.

Formed in 2002, the West Hartford Symphony Orchestra (WHSO) is a non-profit, semi-professional, volunteer-based organization whose purpose is to bring together amateur and professional musicians dedicated to improving the quality of life for the Greater West Hartford community by performing and enjoying orchestral music. In addition to artistic expression, commitments to inspire, engage and recruit young local musicians to join the orchestra and appreciate orchestral music are fundamental to the organization’s purpose.  For more information, visit www.whso.org.

Founded in 2004, the West Hartford Women’s Chorale (WHWC) is a non-audition, multigenerational community that unites women through song to build community, celebrate artistry, and inspire future generations. Performing classical and contemporary works—including notable 20th-century American music—at concerts, benefit events, and community festivals, the Chorale also hosts the biennial Festival of Women’s Voices, which brings together adult and student female choruses with a featured female composer in support of a local charity. Beyond the stage, WHWC invests in music education through annual student musician scholarships, donations to Gifts of Music, and partnerships with local nonprofits. For more information, visit www.whwchorale.org.

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