Singing for Harriet Tubman

6/30/2024, 4pm PDT

This in-person event is a choral performance of freedom songs sung by Harmonia, a diversity-appreciating, community choir of mostly white folks who want freedom for all. Directed by John Maas, Harmonia is the resident choir of Sebastopol Center for the Arts in Northern California.

At St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Sebastopol, Harmonia will be joined by the amazing Benjamin Mertz—musician/composer specializing in Black Spiritual music and social justice issues. Among about 15 songs, we will sing several of Benjamin’s, including “I Dream” and “Hate Won’t Win,” rousing spirituals including “Ride the Chariot” and “Ain’a that Good News,” and a wonderful ballad by Walter Robinson celebrating Harriet Tubman.

John Maas organized this choir in August 2022, after retiring from 36 years as a Kaiser psychologist. After majoring in music at UC Berkeley 1974-1975, John composed or arranged over 60 works for choir, and conducted Berkeley’s La Peña Community Chorus (specializing in social justice), Berkeley Harmonia Chorus and Orchestra, many choirs at Unitarian family camps, and Handel’s Messiah sing-alongs in Sebastopol for the last 30 years.

John loves leading this choir and thanks Sebastopol Center for the Arts for housing and sponsoring this all-volunteer endeavor!

A donation of $10-20 is requested. Funds raised will benefit the World Central Kitchen, with a donation to the Freedom Festival for its ongoing work.