Author: lakewooducc

Beauty in the WorldOne City Chorus in Concert Jon Arterton, conductor Tim Burnaman, piano    Caroline Schweinert, drums with special guests Jon Arterton & James Mack   Sunday, March 3, 2024   4:00 PM The Palladium   253 5th Ave. North, St. Petersburg Tickets $25/ $20 in advance https://mypalladium.org/events/one-city-chorus-presents-beauty-in-the-world-feat-jon-arterton-james-mack/St. Petersburg’s famed One City Chorus has been presenting annual concerts at the Palladium since their beginning in 2017. Their performances have been described as “joyous, uplifting and beautifully sung” by Creative Loafing. Their audiences agree – their concerts are marked by standing ovations. This year’s concert will undoubtedly continue the tradition. It will feature special musical guest artists, singers Jon Arterton and James Mack, the chorus’ founders. The concert will also feature three songs by members of the chorus: Clyde Moreland’s “She Stands for Me,” Tim Burnaman’s “How We Doin’ Dr. King?” and Arterton’s “Sometimes You Gotta Make a Wave.”  Burnaman also serves as the group’s accompanist. One City Chorus was founded by Arterton and Mack in the fall of 2016 with the belief that singing in a group builds community and leads to better understanding among people. The chorus seeks to make the world a better place by singing songs about social justice, civil rights, diversity and equality. They have been honored with a Best of the Bay Award for “Best Voices Raised Together in Song.” St. Petersburg’s poet laureate, Gloria Muñoz alluded to the chorus in her poem “Of Flowers” read at this year’s State of the City Ceremony with these words: “For each hateful word, a song of peace from One City Chorus proves there is beauty in the world. There is love, love, love!”   Arterton holds a Master’s Degree in choral conducting and voice from The New England Conservatory of Music. He was the founder and vocal arranger of The Flirtations, the proudly gay a cappella group seen on HBO and in the film Philadelphia. Mack was a voice major at Memphis State University and served as a choir director before moving to NYC to begin a career in men’s fashion. The two began singing together in 2002 and were married in Massachusetts in 2015. Together they produced a CD titled Legally Married and the Sky Didn’t Fall.