to salute America, her music

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

When the Troy Council on the Arts and Humanities contracted the All-American Boys Chorus to perform at the Claudia Crosby Theater Sept. 23, no one could have imagined the wave of patriotism that would be sweeping the country at that time.

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the foiled attack on another national landmark Sept. 11 left more than 5,000 people missing and feared dead.

Americans have responded with a collective patriotic spirit not displayed since World War II.

When the All-American Boys Chorus concludes its program with a patriotic salute, Sunday afternoon, the audience is expected to come to its feet with American pride, said Don Crapps, president of the arts council.

"The program, titled ‘Putting it Together,’ is filled with audience favorites from America’s musical history," Crapps said. "The concert features the best of Broadway selections such as ‘Tonight’ from West Side Story

and ‘Ol’ Man River’ from Showboat

and medleys featuring the California sounds of The Beach Boys, toe-tapping tunes from the Roaring ’20s, swinging songs from the Big Band era and dynamic Dixieland melodies. But, I suspect, the songs that will touch our hearts will be the patriotic tunes. They’ll close with a stirring rendition of Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’ and that has never been more appropriate than now."

Crapps said this salute to America and her music is a concert that no one will want to miss.

"Whatever your weekend plans are, we hope you will include the All-American Boys Chorus at 2:30 p.m . at the Claudia Crosby Theater on the campus of Troy State University," Crapps said. "The Vienna Choir Boys were so well received here and we are sure that everyone will like the All-American Boys Chorus equally as well or better than the Vienna Choir Boys. Those who were fortunate enough to attend the Vienna Choir Boys concert, will certainly want to hear our own boys chorus. Those who missed the Vienna Choir Boys will certainly not want to miss the All-American Boys Chorus."

Tickets for the performance are $15 for adults and $12 for students.

Tickets are available at local banks and TSU’s School of Music (670-3322).

All tickets are general admission, except for season ticket holders. Those who plan to purchase tickets at the door should come early.