Marvin United Methodist Church holds Patriotic Spectacular concert

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - The Marvin United Methodist Church celebrated the red, white, and blue with their Stars and Stripes Patriotic Spectacular concert. Many people came and packed the sanctuary to listen to the patriotic music performed by the Marvin Chancel Choir and Orchestra.

The event is all about bringing the Tyler community together on this special holiday to feel gratitude for the home of the brave.

Marvin Chancel Choir member Leslie Roberts says, “I think it’s a time in our country where we need to be inspired. We need to feel that unity, that gratefulness for what we have in this country, and there’s nothing that inspires that like patriotic music.”

The sixty-member choir and orchestra have been preparing for the concert since April, as this event is the church’s third-largest program right behind Christmas and Easter.

“We have some very skilled musicians, orchestra, and singers to present that picture of America. We’re very rich in our heritage of music in this country, and it’s just part of the privilege of being an American,” says Roberts.

The concert started off with pre-service music from composers like Aaron Copeland and John Williams. Then, jazz songs were performed like Rhapsody and Blue by George Gershwin.

“I love Rhapsody and Blue. It’s an American classic and it changed the face of jazz in its day combining jazz elements with the sophisticated orchestra.” says the director of music and fine arts at Marvin United Methodist Church Kara Story.

Even a little bit of National and Texas history was shared to educate audience members about the journey of our founders. Each year, the event focuses on a different person in history, and this year was our first U.S. President George Washington.

The concert also recognized the people who served our country like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard by displaying each of the military branches’ flags.

The Stars and Stripes Patriotic Spectacular was the last performance of Marvin United Methodist Church’s concert series which runs from September through July.

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