From staff reports

Continuing its exciting 25th anniversary year, the Cherokee Chorale will observe Saint Patrick’s Day with a Spring Concert titled “The Enchanted Isle: Celebrating Ireland.”

The concert will be March 17 at 3 p.m. at the Canton First United Methodist Church.

Conducted by Don Stafford and George Broom, the concert will include favorites such as “Danny Boy,” “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” and Irish jigs including “Mairi’s Wedding.”

The Chorale will be joined by the East Cobb New Horizons Wind Ensemble and the Buddy O’Reilly Irish Band and Dancers with their fiddle, wooden flute, Irish bagpipes, guitar, bodhran, harmonica and banjo.

Originally an official feast day of the Catholic, Anglican, and Eastern Orthodox churches, St. Patrick’s Day gradually became a general celebration of Irish culture, especially by the Irish diaspora in places such as Great Britain, Canada, the U.S., Argentina, Australia ,and New Zealand.

St. Patrick, born in the fourth century, is said to have brought Christianity to Ireland and to have explained the Trinity using the three-leaf shamrock.

Stafford has been associated with the musical life of Cherokee County for more than three decades. He earned a bachelor of church music degree at Shorter University and a masters in music from the University of Michigan, double majoring in music history and choral conducting.

He later completed a doctor’s degree in Choral Music Education at Florida State University.

Before retiring, Stafford was director of choral activities in the Cherokee County and Hall County school systems. He sang under the baton of Robert Shaw with the Atlanta Symphony Chorus and Chamber Choir for a number of years.

He is the director of music for the Canton First United Methodist Church and is an adjunct professor of music at Reinhardt University.

Broom is a retired music educator and church musician. He taught band and choir for 35 years, retiring from Etowah High School.

Following that, he served as minister of music at Hickory Flat United Methodist Church. His involvement with the Cherokee Chorale began in the fall of 1991.

He has served as president, vice president for committees and conductor of the Chorale.

Broom serves as the director of the East Cobb New Horizons Band, a musical organization for senior adults.

The Cherokee Chorale is an auditioned choral group of 70 to 80 voices, encompassing a variety of ages, professions, and occupations, including a significant number of music professionals.

The Chorale was founded in 1988 and has steadily advanced in technical skill and choral artistry’, performing increasingly challenging literature and establishing a reputation for excellence and popularity.

Tickets for the concerts are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door before the concert. Tickets may be purchased in advance from any Chorale member, the Cherokee County Arts Center and Chamberhouse in Canton, Three Sisters Gifts in Hickory Flat, Jasper Drug in Jasper, and FoxTale Book Shoppe in Woodstock.

The church is located at 930 Lower Scott Mill Road.

For information call (678) 439-8625. The website is www.cherokee

chorale.org.