"Feel free to please sing along with us," said David K. North, director of Mosaic Harmony Community Choir since 1996. North drove to the Herndon Senior Center from Maryland to direct the Feb. 28 concert performance. Twenty-five members of Mosaic Harmony performed in the show, which was also attended by Herndon town council member Sheila Olem. The concert was sponsored by the Council for the Arts of Herndon.
"The Council for the Arts was delighted to be able to sponsor this concert in honor of Black History Month," stated Signe Friedrichs, executive director for the Council for the Arts of Herndon. "So much of the music we listen to in America and the world today was profoundly influenced by the gospel and spirituals tradition. It was our pleasure to bring the music of that tradition to the seniors and other attendees at Herndon Senior Center."
A nonprofit organization, this was the first time Mosaic Harmony had sung at the Herndon Senior Center. The choir group sang 10 songs, and was energetically led by North throughout the show. Several of the songs the choir sung included an arrangement of "Kumbaya" and "The Lord Is Blessing Me Right Now".
While Mosaic Harmony appears throughout the Washington area (and has even performed in Europe), many concerts are in Fairfax County. Playing the piano was Christian Davis, and on the keyboard was Allen Caesar. Between songs North would address the audience and tell about the history of the song and its application. "Thank you, I heard you singing, that is what we want," said North to one member of the audience. At several points North coaxed the audience into clapping their hands or singing along to the music.
"I have been singing with this group for 12 years, and we have sung all over the metropolitan D.C. area," said tenor Suzanne Reynolds. "The music is great and David [North] is a gem." Reggie Ott, a tenor and resident of Silver Spring also sung at the event. "It has been really great to be part of this group," said Ott, who joined last September.
"I arranged the songs to celebrate life," said North. "We are a choir that wants to share a message that we have more in common than we have differences."
"To have the choir group here was a pleasure," said Ruth Junkin, director of the Herndon Senior Center. Many of the seniors who attended the show were pleased with the performance. "It was great, we really enjoyed it," said Meraf Mitchell. "The songs were beautiful and it made you feel you were part of it," said Bernadine Brown.
Mosaic Harmony holds rehearsals every other Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax located in the Vienna/Tyson's Corner area, just off Route 66 at 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Their next upcoming event will be the April 27 Annual Fundraising Concert to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mosaic Harmony.
To learn more about Mosaic Harmony, visit www.mosaicharmony.com/index.htm