Boston Choral Festival:
To the Hands
Friday, October 17, 2025 | 7:30 PM
Old South Church, Boston
The Program
Caroline Shaw: To the Hands
Noah Horn, Music Director
Experience an unforgettable evening at Old South Church as Cantata Singers presents the second annual Boston Choral Festival. At the heart of the program is Caroline Shaw’s To the Hands—a bold, deeply moving reflection on shelter, empathy, and the human condition.
The evening also features C. Hubert H. Parry’s majestic I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me, Shawn Kirchner’s uplifting Unclouded Day—a radiant favorite that bursts with joy and light—and Buxtehude’s Ad manus from Membra Jesu Nostri, whose sacred text weaves directly into Shaw’s contemporary soundscape. More repertoire will be announced soon.
This year’s Festival brings together around 200 singers, including 150 students from Westborough, Arlington, and Lexington High School choirs. After a day of immersive workshops, these young singers will join Cantata Singers on stage—uniting fresh voices with seasoned professionals in a powerful celebration of community and compassion.
Join us for a stirring evening where past and present, youth and experience, converge in music that speaks to both timeless questions and urgent contemporary concerns.
What’s Interesting About This Concert
A Contemporary Masterwork: Caroline Shaw, the youngest-ever recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, wrote To the Hands in response to themes of displacement, refuge, and human connection. Drawing on a 17th-century cantata by Buxtehude, Shaw reframes early sacred music through a modern, emotionally resonant lens. It’s music that feels urgent, questioning, and deeply human.
Text That Speaks Today: Shaw interweaves Latin texts with contemporary language, including lines like “how do you belong to a place?” and statistics on global displacement. The result is a striking juxtaposition—ancient and modern, sacred and social—that asks us to reflect on our own role in the world.
Voices of the Future: This performance includes high school choirs, joining the professional Cantata Singers after a day of collaborative workshops. The inclusion of these young voices adds another layer of meaning to the piece’s themes of community, empathy, and shared humanity.
From the Classroom to the Stage — See the Journey
Take a glimpse into last year’s Boston Choral Festival — a powerful day of music, learning, and connection. This highlight reel captures moments from the 2024 Festival, from students arriving to the final ovation. You’ll want to be part of what’s coming next.
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Approximately 75 minutes. There will be no intermission.
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645 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116
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We recommend SpotHero to help you locate and reserve parking near the venue with ease.
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Copley MBTA stop on the Green Line
Back Bay MBTA stop on the Orange line
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Wear what makes you feel comfortable!
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Wheelchair accessible