'Song of the Shadows' tells story of Holy Week

When Dawn Conroy-Pretto began directing the Holy Week cantata “Song of the Shadows” at her church in Washington state, the performance consisted of 13 singers accompanied by a piano. Over the years, the production grew, and Conroy-Pretto was able to include more singers and add an orchestra.

Last year, Conroy-Pretto relocated to Red Wing to take over the choir director position at First Covenant Church. And she’s brought “Song of the Shadows” with her.

On April 1, more than 50 choir members and nearly 25 orchestra members will perform the cantata that tells the story of Jesus’ last days.

“For the first year to have this many (performers) is a good turnout,” Conroy-Pretto said.

The singers and orchestra members were recruited from 16 area churches, including Red Wing and Ellsworth parishes. For about the last two months, the group has spent Sunday afternoons gathered in First Covenant practicing.

The actual performance, which will be 7 p.m. at the Church of St. Joseph, is a candlelight service and will include readings mixed in with the musical pieces.

And while Conroy-Pretto said she doesn’t usually like cantatas, there is something special about Joseph and Pamela Martin’s “Song of the Shadows.”

“Usually, there’s one good song in a cantata,” she said. “But with ‘Song of the Shadows,’ just seem to have had a direct line to God when writing it. It’s really beautiful. It’s very moving.”

For that reason, Conroy-Pretto hopes to make the “Song of the Shadows” performance a yearly tradition.

“I’d like to see us doing it for three or four years in a row,” she said.

Admission to the performance is free, but monetary donations for the Red Wing Area Food Shelf and Connecting Connections will be collected.

If you go…

What: Song of the Shadows

When: 7 p.m. April 1

Where: Church of St. Joseph, Seventh and North Park streets

Admission: Free; donations taken for food shelf and Connecting Connections

More information: 651-388-2385

Tags: arts and entertainment, lifestyle, religion, minnesota