Perkins students perform with The Revels

The 9th annual Celebration of the Spring, a program of traditional music, songs and ancient rituals designed welcomed in the warmer months and the change of seasons.

The Perkins Secondary Chorus, under the direction of music director Arnie Harris, joined forces with a Revels chorus of adults and children. A stirring “Helston Furry Day” processional set the tone for the evening, followed by rousing shape-note hymns, traditional dances, lively children’s singing games, and the mysterious Padstow ‘Obby ‘Oss ritual from Cornwall, England.

The “house band” was the renowned Perkins Trio consisting of Perkins students Anton Sviridenko on violin, Andy Park on accordion and John Castillo on drums. Castillo, a baritone, sang the national anthem at the 2009 State of the State address in January and will be a featured performer in this year’s Summer Revels.

The celebration featured baritone soloist and song leader David Coffin, who will lead performers and audience in a stirring rendition of “The Wild Mountain Thyme” to close out the evening. The finale has become a treasured Revels/Perkins tradition. 

The Revels celebrate the seasons and cycles of human life through the arts, the songs and dances, and the stories of traditional cultures. Learn more at www.revels.org.