The Crawford Street United Methodist Church choir will present a Palm Sunday cantata, “The Weeping Tree,” on April 10 at 10:55 a.m. in the church sanctuary.

A cantata is a narrative piece of music for voices accompanied by instruments that can include solos, chorus and an orchestra. The cantata is the first performed in the church since 2019, said Kathy Mahloch, Crawford Street’s director of music ministries.

“We were ready to perform a cantata in 2020 but then they closed everything down (because of COVID-19),” she said. “It’s a real blessing to be able to get back in the church to perform a cantata for our congregation.”

Composed by Joseph Martin, “The Weeping Tree” involves the week leading to Christ’s crucifixion, Mahloch said.

“It includes narration by Pam Martin, familiar hymns, new music, sacred symbols and a chamber orchestra,” she said, adding the orchestra will feature musicians from Jackson.

The choir will include local residents who are not members of Crawford Street.

Some of the songs performed during the cantata include, “Alas, and did my Savior Bleed,” “Lamentation of the Cross,” “Of Tears and Sorrow,” “Wondrous Love, Wondrous Cross” and “Without His Cross.”

A native of North Carolina, Joseph Martin received his Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance at Furman University in Greenville, S.C., and later received a Master of Music degree in piano performance at the University of Texas, Austin. He taught for five years in the Piano Pedagogy Department of the University of Texas. While at Furman University, he was accompanist for choral director and composer Milburn Price, and inspired by his teaching, Martin began composing and had written more than 1,000 works.

Mahloch said the choir has performed Martin’s works before.

“We enjoy performing his works, and his music blends well with our voices,” she said.