Florida Major State Day

Sunday, June 17, 2007
Photography by Edward Graham

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Photo 1: The crisp tenor of hand chimes rang through the nave of Washington National Cathedral as the Indialantic Chamber Singers summoned worshipers on the morning of June 17. The tolling by Tamsey Audet, Carol Conway and Nancy Covault—members of the Brevard County choir—signaled the start of a special Florida State Day service at the landmark cathedral. The Indialantic Chamber Singers made a return performance at the Cathedral. They took part in a 2003 Florida service. About half the 32 singers marked their second trip. “They were all excited about it, they were thrilled by the experience,” choir director David Vogeding said. Nancy Covault, the choir president, said there are no high-ceiling performance halls along Florida’s hurricane coast, so the group savored the chance to sing again in Washington.

Vogeding said he chose sacred choral pieces for the group’s 25-minute offering performance that lent themselves to the Cathedral’s acoustics. “Every one of our pieces today really had a good strong wonderful message,” he said. Pieces from across the spectrum of sacred music including: Come Thou, Lord, Creator Spirit by Jeffrey Rickard (b. 1942) to Factum est Silentium by Richard Dering (c.1580–1630), O Lux Beatissima by Howard Helvey (b. 1968), and My Lord, What a Morning by Harry Burleigh (1866-1949).