The choirs of Kellogg Community College will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America at the College’s annual “Singing in the Spring” concert this weekend in Battle Creek.
“Singing in the Spring: I, Too, Sing America” will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 12, at First Presbyterian Church, 111 Capital Ave. NE in Battle Creek. The event is free and open to the public, though a freewill offering will be collected to support future music initiatives at the College.
KCC Music Area Coordinator and Vocal Arts Director Dr. Gerald Case-Blanchard said in addition to celebrating the country’s semiquincentennial, the concert marks the KCC choral program’s 69th year and also is the 20th year “Singing in the Spring” has been held at First Presbyterian in downtown Battle Creek.
“This a truly remarkable occasion filled with milestones worth honoring,” Case-Blanchard said. “With both familiar favorites and lesser-known gems, this performance is designed to inspire, uplift and resonate with all who attend.”
Audiences will enjoy appearances by a student honors soloist and faculty guest artists, alongside a diverse and compelling selection of repertoire. Featured works include a Native American chant, music by America’s first composer, William Billings, early American hymns and spirituals, selections from the Shaker tradition, and beloved Americana including “The Star-Spangled Banner,” “America the Beautiful” and “Michigan Morn.”
The program also includes a touch of musical theatre, Case-Blanchard said, “ensuring a vibrant and varied concert experience.”
For more information about the concert or other music programming at the College, contact Case-Blanchard at case-blanchardg@kellogg.edu or 269-565-7859.
About Music at Kellogg Community College
KCC’s Arts and Communication Department offers a robust Music Program including a new Associate in Fine Arts degree in Music, which launched this past fall. Additional music opportunities for students and community members offered through the College include individualized voice and instrument lessons, master classes, student recitals, an annual Opera Workshop and other music initiatives, including youth performance camps.
The College also host three residential choirs, including the Branch County Community Chorus, the Concentus Vocal Ensemble and the Kellogg Singers – which perform together as the KCC Choral Union – as well as resident Concert and Jazz bands.
In addition to performing regularly in its home state of Michigan, the KCC Choral Union has performed nationally at major venues in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and performed international concert tours of Ireland, Italy and the Baltics in 2012, 2014 and 2025, respectively.
KCC choirs have opened for several internationally renowned musicians, including Grammy Award-winning musical groups Take 6 and Sweet Honey in the Rock, and regularly collaborate with major musical organizations including the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra, the Haydn Festival Orchestra, the Monroe Community Chorale and Symphony and the Sacred Music Festival of Kalamazoo.
For more information, visit kellogg.edu/music.
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