Spring 2026: Joie de Vivre
Led by Music Director Donnell Patterson
Mystic Chorale sings a concert sure to lift the soul and elicit JOY at 7:30pm on June 6 at Cary Hall in Lexington. Led by the inimitable Donnell Patterson (the Prince of Joy himself!), 150 singers present an exciting, restorative and inspiring program.
Mystic’s Joie de Vivre theme threads through many genres of music and includes Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, This Little Light of Mine, and Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel from folk and spiritual traditions; Melanie DeMore’s Lead with Love; Nigerian Fido’s Joy is Coming; Frankie Beverly’s Joy and Pain; Joy by Chris Stapleton and Santana; Kim English’s Unspeakable Joy; a little rock and roll with Joy to The World by Hoyt Axtonand; and The Wailing Jennys’ Bright Morning Stars. There will be a medley of Bacharach/Beatles/Carpenters songs, and a special treat, The Voice of Music, composed by Donnell specifically for the Mystic Chorale.
The chorus is joined by a fabulous trio of featured vocalists, Sayida Rivers Farmer, Yemesi Oluwole, Laura Vecchione. Our amazing band includes David Langford on keyboard/piano; Gerald Langford on bass; Patrick Gaulin on drum and Bobby Tynes on saxophone.
When have we needed this more? Join us live or via live stream!
Tickets will be on sale soon!
Saturday, June 6, 7:30 p.m.
Cary Hall, Lexington
Music Director: Donnell Patterson
Donnell is director of Music for both the Upper and Lower Schools at Belmont Hill School in Belmont. He has served as minister of music at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cambridge, Mass. for over 20 years and has directed Boston-based Joyful Voices of Inspiration since 2014 and directed Sharing a New Song since 2023. Donnell is also chair of the Gospel Music department in New England Conservatory’s (NEC) School of Preparatory and Continuing Education and directs the NEC Community Gospel Choir.
Donnell holds a BA in Music from the New England Conservatory, and two Masters degrees, from the University of South Florida and Harvard University, with additional post-graduate work in choral and computer music from Florida State University and doctoral studies in Education at Lesley University.
Performing and conducting music has allowed Donnell to travel extensively all over the world, including Armenia, France, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Greece, Japan, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Argentina.