Moorestown-based Garden State Chorale presents "Mad About Mercer"

GARDEN
STATE CHORALE PRESENTS “MAD ABOUT MERCER” MAY 12TH

On Saturday May12th,
the Moorestown-based Garden State Chorale, accompanied by the instrumental jazz/pops
ensemble “Standard Edition” (from Riverside),  will be presenting its annual spring concert
“Mad About Mercer,” showcasing the music of legendary singer and songwriter
Johnny Mercer.  Now in its 80th
year, the Chorale includes singers from throughout South Jersey, and is under
the direction of Robert Frederick of Lindenwold and accompanied by Paul Paulson
of Cherry Hill.  Performances will take
place at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church on Route 70
in Cherry Hill (just adjacent to Ponzio’s restaurant).

Johnny Mercer was best
known as a lyricist who collaborated with such composers as Harold Arlen, Henry
Mancini, Hoagy Carmichael, Jerome Kern, and Duke Ellington.  He wrote the lyrics for many great American
standards which will be featured at the concert, including “Moon River,” “That
Old Black Magic,” “The Days of Wine and Roses,” “Autumn Leaves,” “Hooray for
Hollywood,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “Too Marvelous
for Words,” “Satin Doll,” etc.  Mercer
also wrote the music for one of his biggest hits “Dream,” which the Chorale
will perform.  That song was the theme
for Mercer’s radio show in the 1940s, and it was subsequently recorded as hits
by the Pied Pipers, Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. 

Proceeds from the
concert help fund the Chorale’s annual scholarship program, which awards a
$1500 scholarship to a South Jersey high school senior pursuing his/her college
education in vocal studies.  The 2012
scholarship recipient will also perform during the concert.

The Garden State
Chorale rehearses each week in Moorestown at the First Baptist Church.  Moorestown residents currently belonging to
the group include Jane Tonkin and Beverly Morgan, sopranos; Joanie Perry, alto;
Mike McKee and Ray Perry, tenors; and John Saludades and John Khanlian, basses.

For more information
about the group, and for tickets or driving directions to the concert, visit
the Chorale’s website:  www.gschorale.org
or call 856-231-0781.