On Tuesday evenings at the First Presbyterian Church on Cherry Street, locals come together to engage in singing choral music. The Vicksburg Chamber Choir meets weekly, and the group, which was started more than 20 years ago, offers free concerts throughout the year.

Their spring concert is scheduled for 3 p.m. May 22 at Christ Episcopal Church on Main Street and the event will also include a raffle.

Sharon Penley, who has been directing the group going on 10 seasons, said Dick Brown originally started the choir.

“He was a cellist with the Jackson Symphony and was the conductor of the Jackson Choral Society. He moved to Vicksburg to teach at All Saints and decided to start the same type of choral organization in Vicksburg that he had in Jackson,” Penley said.

Penley is also a charter member of the Vicksburg Chamber Choir.

Brown’s objective in forming the group, Penley said, was to bring together adults who enjoyed singing and performing.

“People sang in church choirs, but we did not have a citywide choral society in Vicksburg.”

The choir is open to anyone interested in singing, and performances are typically held twice a year.

“This year we did a third concert. We did a program of bluegrass music in an outdoor courtyard at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center,” Penley said.

Most of the music performed is sacred music, but the group is not relegated to only religious compositions.

“It’s just that some of the most beautiful music is written with sacred texts,” Penley said.

For the spring concert, the choir will perform, Randall Thompson’s “Alleluia,” “The Majesty and Glory of his Name,” by Tom Fettke and “I Believe.”

The text from “I believe” was from an anonymous Jewish poet and was composed by Mark Miller, Penley said.

“I believe is my favorite this year, choir member McMillan Crevit said.

Crevitt said she has been singing with the Chamber Choir for three years and enjoys the camaraderie in addition to singing.

“I love going and singing every Tuesday night. It makes my week, and I enjoy all the smiling faces. They are never in a bad mood. This is a very positive experience, especially for a 21-year-old,” Crevitt said.

“Sunrise Mass,” which was written by Norwegian composer, Ola Gjeilo is the main performance on the program, Penley said.

“This is an interesting piece. It is the most secular piece we have done in a while with a sacred text.”

Penley said Gjeilo was born in 1978 and moved to New York to study at Julliard.

“ His music is greatly influenced by the movie scores of his youth, and you will hear a lot of that ‘Star Wars’ type sound. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very classical music and you will hear a blend of the sacred and secular.”

The choir will be accompanied by a string orchestra from the Jackson Symphony and although the concert is free, donations will be appreciated.

A fundraiser is also being held in conjunction with the concert to help defray the cost of the orchestra.

“We have a member who is an up and coming sculptor, and he does copper panels. Jason Miller has donated a 3-foot by 3-foot acid washed panel,” Penley said, and tickets will be selling for $5 and are available from any Vicksburg Chamber Choir member. The winner will be announced the night of the concert, and you do not have to be present to win.