Each year on the sixth of June, visitors from all over the world gather in Normandy, France to honor the sacrifices made during the D-Day invasion on that day in 1944. Many special events and wreath laying ceremonies take place to commemorate D-Day and the landing of Allied Forces on its shores during World War ll.
Each year the premier All-American D-Day Band and Community Chorus is assembled to perform at some of these commemorative events. The band and chorus are comprised of instrumentalists and singers from across the United States. With their music, they are the American musical ambassadors to France.
An invitation to sing in the All-American Community Chorus was sent to a local group, the Queen Anne’s Chorale in Centreville, Maryland. In addition to this honor, their Artistic Director, Robert Huntington, was chosen to conduct the chorus. Fourteen singers, along with family and friends, participated in this memorable trip.
Before leaving, however, they met several times to practice so they were ready to rehearse with the other singers upon arrival in Paris. The concert repertoire with an “Americana” theme included “Down to the River to Pray”, “The Yellow Rose of Texas”, “Swinging on a Star” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth”.
Their itinerary for the nine-day trip began with a special guided tour, stopping at several significant areas dedicated to the D-Day battles of Normandy Campaign. Both the Chorus and Band joined forces for a Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Utah Beach Memorial. The Choir traveled to the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach and were able to tour the solemn place of honor. The Chorus presented concerts in the town square and in the Church in Sainte-Mere-Eglise as part of the Musical Salute to Liberation. They also participated in the annual D-Day Memorial Parade held there. Before returning home, the Chorus also had an opportunity to explore Paris and perform an afternoon concert at La Madeleine Cathedral.
As Chorale singers began planning their trip to France, they found that their town of Centreville had yet another connection to D-Day, 1944. Sadly, one of its young men, Army Private First-Class William H. Quillen, fought with the 29th Infantry Division and lost his life on the sixteenth of June 1944 during an ensuing battle. He received the Purple Heart and is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery.
Upon learning about Private Quillen, the Chorale, with the assistance of the Queen Anne’s County Library in Stevensville, researched and identified his grave site coordinates. On June 5th, the Chorale members placed a flag on his grave in Normandy honoring his courage and sacrifice for the United States and the Allied Forces. A picture was taken with Chorale singers holding flags from both Queen Anne’s County and the town of Centreville.
What a wonderful opportunity for these American singers and band members! Using their musicianship to honor the troops who fought on the sixth of June 1944 is the ultimate gift. And, of course, the town of Centreville and the Eastern Shore of Maryland were well represented at these D-Day ceremonies. This trip created wonderful memories and generated feelings of pride and gratitude which the participants will have for years to come.
If you are interested in joining Queen Anne’s Chorale, they will host an Open Rehearsal on September 8th at 6:30pm at Centreville Methodist Church. The no-audition Chorale will begin working on their holiday concert (A Classic Christmas) scheduled for 3:00pm on Sunday, December 7th at the Todd Performing Arts Center at Chesapeake College.
There are also opportunities to support QAC with donations or sponsorships. For more information visit www.qachorale.org.
Queen Anne’s Chorale is an all-volunteer, non-auditioned community chorus with the motto “Entertaining, Engaging, Educating since 1989”. The ability to read music is helpful but not required. We always welcome new singers!
Queen Anne’s Chorale is supported in part through grants from the United Way of Queen Anne’s County, the Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts, and the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive. We are also fortunate to have Corporate Sponsorships from Shore United Bank, Koons Toyota of Easton and Chesapeake Hearing Centers.