The Long Island Community Chorus brought music, history and community together last Sunday, filling St. James United Methodist Church, in Lynbrook, with a performance that celebrated the nation’s past as well as the people who continue to shape it.
The group’s spring concert, “Rhythms of America: A Musical Journey,” anticipating the upcoming semiquincentennial, traced the evolution of American music across the generations. The program blended spirituals, jazz, folk songs and contemporary pieces, offering a musical timeline reflecting both the triumphs and the challenges of the country’s history.
“We tried to show as much of the variation in the country and its history as we possibly could,” said director Jean Stevenson, of Elmont, who is marking her 30th year with the chorus, which has nearly 40 members, ranging in age from 20s to 80s, from Nassau, Suffolk and Queens. Founded in 1985 as the Rockville Centre Choral Society, the organization later changed its name to reflect its broader membership.
Selections ranged from “Battle Hymn of the Republic” to “God Bless the Child,” along with works by Paul Simon, Neil Diamond and John Denver. Narration throughout the performance guided the audience from one historical period to the next.
The concert also featured piano, trumpet, guitar and percussion accompaniment, adding depth and energy to the program.
“The biggest challenge was all the moving parts,” Stevenson said. “We added more instruments this time, and bringing everything together was something new for us.”
The performance resonated deeply with the audience, especially in its final moments. It concluded with a sing-along of familiar American folk songs, including “This Land Is Your Land” and “If I Had a Hammer” before concluding with “God Bless America” and “America the Beautiful.” Many in the audience rose to their feet as the music filled the church.
“The enthusiasm of our audience makes it,” Cathy Stirrat, a Valley Stream resident and the chorus’s president said. “Different audience members stood up, and by the end everyone was standing. It meant something to them — and that’s what meant something to me.”
For Stirrat, the experience of performing is closely tied to the sense of connection the group creates. She joined the chorus in 2019, after retiring as an elementary school special education teacher, seeking new creative outlets.
“I hadn’t sung in a chorus since elementary school,” she said. “It was challenging at first, but everyone was very welcoming.”
Members of the ensemble say that its diversity — in both background and musical experience — is central to its identity. “We’re built on diverse backgrounds uniting as one,” Stirrat said. “We all have separate voices, but we come together and perform in harmony — and that’s what we want for our country.”
That sense of unity proved especially important during the coronavirus pandemic, when the chorus continued meeting virtually each week despite not being able to gather in person at St. James United Methodist Church, its rehearsal space. At one point, membership dropped significantly, but the group remained committed.
“We never stopped,” said Stan Damast, of Westbury, a longtime member and the group’s advertising manager.
The chorus performed in a livestreamed concert in 2021 and gradually rebuilt its membership as pandemic restrictions lifted. Today it continues to attract new singers through community outreach and local connections.
For Stevenson, the group’s resilience is part of what defines it. “What we accomplish is kind of special,” she said. “We love it, and that’s what we bring to it.”
With two major performances each year and additional appearances across Long Island, members say the chorus is about more than music — it’s about connection and shared experience.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s enjoyable,” Stirrat said. “As we age, it’s important to do something creative. And when people respond to it, it inspires you to keep going.”
