So often, life in rural America is presented through a nostalgic or patriotic lens. It is presented a simple and idyllic, removed from the problems of more urban and suburban locations. People are presented as hard working and honest, and life fulfilling. Hard work is rewarded and care and concern for your neighbor fundamental. And yet, although there is definitely an aspect of truth in that presentation, it is fundamentally reductive and overly simplistic. In its lack of acknowledgement of the struggles and problems of rural life, it denies the great tapestry of different expectations and lived experiences that are felt by the widely varied individuals who make rural America home. The music of “Flyover Country” acknowledges both of these perspectives, paying homage to both the nostalgia felt in the longing for a simpler life, but also acknowledging that sometimes that life isn’t (and wasn’t) as simple as we thought.
The performance will feature “Fern Hill” by John Corigliano, and Christopher Cerrone’s deeply moving “The Branch Will Not Break.”

This event is part of the SMSU Band and Choir Alumni Weekend. The SMSU Chorale is thrilled to be joined by alumni representing every decade in the life of the SMSU Choirs. Any alumni who would like to join us are invited to register at https://www.smsu.edu/…/2024-music-alumni-weekend.html