The Waterbury Chorale and Waterbury Chorale Festival Orchestra under the direction of Joseph Jacovino, Jr., and accompanied by Jenny Li, will present two performances of “A More Perfect Union: 150th Anniversary Musical Reflections of the Civil War Era and Abraham Lincoln.”

The first performance will be Saturday, April 18, at 8 pm, at St Rose of Lima Church, 46 Church Hill Road in Newtown. The second is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, at 4 pm, at St John’s Episcopal Church, 16 Church Street in Waterbury.

Tickets for either performance are $20 in advance, and $25 at the door.

Guest narrator Douglas Schlicher will provide the commentary for this special tribute to the end of the US Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States. The April concerts coincide with the historic events of General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox (April 9) and Lincoln’s assassination (April 14).

“Part I: The Civil War Era” will highlight the sounds of the Civil War with “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” “Battle Cry of Freedom,” “Dixie,” “The Bonnie Blue Flag,” “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground,” a Stephen Foster medley featuring “I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” “Camptown Races,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” and “Oh, Susanna,” “Just Before The Battle, Mother” and “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” medley by George Root, “My Lord, What A Mornin’,” “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” “Eating Goober Peas,” “Taps” and “The Glory.”

“Part II: In Honor of Abraham Lincoln” will commence with the reading of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address followed by a vocal arrangement of his speech, plus “A Mystic Chord,” “The Homecoming,” “Variations on the Bluetail Fly,” “O Captain, My Captain,” “Words of Lincoln” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

  Joseph J. Jacovino, Jr., now in his tenth year as conductor of the Waterbury Chorale, is a graduate of The Hartt School and Manhattan School of Music. Recently retired, he was Director of Music for 35 years at Holy Cross High School in Waterbury.

Mr Jacovino continues to serve as organist, cantor and choir director at St Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, and is piano accompanist for the Collegium Choir at the Taft School and choirs at the Waterbury Arts Magnet School.

Jenny Li received her bachelor’s degree in Taiwan and a master of arts from New York University. While in her native Taiwan, Ms Li performed music recordings for radio broadcasts, toured with a symphony orchestra, sang with an opera chorus, directed adult and children’s church choirs, and taught at high school and college levels.

She now lives in Southbury as a freelance musician, flute instructor, organist/choir director at St Gregory the Great Church in Danbury, and organist at First Church-Christian Scientist in Southbury.

Douglas Schlicher graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. He has worked in a variety of theatrical media including the NY Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, NY Public Theatre, NJ Shakespeare Festival, NY Renaissance Festival, Lincoln Center Repertory Company on Broadway, summer stock, dinner theatre, musicals, industrial films, and has more than 400 television commercials and radio voiceovers to his credit.

Mr Schlicher played opposite Susan Saint James in The Warner Theatre’s production of The Miracle Worker and most recently appeared in The Thrill of It All at Thomaston Opera House.

For tickets or further information, visit the chorale’s website at waterburychorale.org or call 203-723-0417.