The concert is filled with familiar tunes from Broadway shows and popular artists.

Guest soloists Aaron Amhof and Ryan Madden, from Fort Dodge Senior High School, will perform “Lily’s Eyes” as part of a scene from “Secret Garden.” Other featured soloists from the choir include Sarah Amhof, Sean O’Connor, and Travis Balt.

Conductor Bruce Perry has selected songs composed by famous pairs such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Bernstein and Sondheim, George and Ira Gershwin, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Simon and Garfunkel, and Gilbert and Sullivan.

“One of the joys of singing is the ability to share the gifts of poetry and music. Even the most beautiful melody will have little impact if paired with a banal text,” Perry wrote in the Choral Society newsletter. “‘Together Again for the First Time’ is a celebration of famous musical partnerships.”

“It is thrilling to share beautiful songs from ‘Westside Story,’ a powerful arrangement of ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water,’ and a huge selection of Golden Age songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. After every rehearsal, I find myself humming the familiar works for hours on end,” said Perry.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Choral Society to cancel their productions last season. At the beginning of August 2021, the Choral Society was finally able to perform again with their concert entitled “Silent No More” to celebrate the group’s return to singing and to honor Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday.

Perry said their “Silent No More” concert packed in a full house.

“We had about as many people in there as we could get. It was wonderful,” Perry said. “People were very appreciative. I think people are longing to get out and return to some normality.”

Perry said he chose “Happy Together” as the theme for this season, not only because the choral members are happy to reunite, but also because he feels the community should portray that sense of togetherness, especially in times of struggle.

“COVID was hard on everybody and remains hard on people,” he said. “I chose the theme “Happy Together” because we are happy to be back together again and the one thing that really does unite us is music and singing.”

After “Together Again for the First Time” the Choral Society will hold one more concert this season in May, entitled “Heavenly Voices,” at St. Olaf Lutheran Church. They will partner with the Chamber Orchestra to perform many classical works.

Each performance has been held at a different local church.

“Different concerts have different space requirements and different instrument requirements,” Perry said. “Plus, it’s always kind of fun to showcase some of the beautiful houses of worship.”

Admission to the concert is by season ticket or available at the door for $10. All students are admitted free. For more information, visit FDChoralSociety.org.

Perry said he appreciates the community’s support of the Choral Society as well as the other art programs available.

“Fort Dodge is fortunate to have many fine arts organizations,” he said. “Investment in the arts is an investment in our community’s future.”