Heavy Metal

The Steel that gave its name to our own Steel Field isn’t singing many songs these days, but a CD called “Carry It On,” with many Moravian College participants, plans to keep the music of Bethlehem Steel alive.

The Steel Choir, a community vocal ensemble, performs traditional and newly composed songs on the CD, several arranged for it by Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock. After a September 15 reception at the Banana Factory to celebrate the album’s release, the choir will repeat the concert at the Moravian Museum, 66 W. Church St., Bethlehem, at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, September 22.

Organized to perform in Touchstone Theater’s 1999 production of Steel Festival: The Art of an Industry, the Steel Choir kept going under the direction of Beverly Morgan, adjunct professor of education. (Sandy Fluck, chair of the Education Department, sings in it.) The CD adds professional soloists Rebekah Graver ’99, soprano; Deborah Leyshon, alto; Greg Oaten, tenor, artist-lecturer in music; Steve Derstine, baritone; and Janice Derstine, piano.

Five songs on the CD are original works by area singer-songwriters Bonnie O’Donnell, Len Christman, Tom Watson, and Roger Latzgo, whose “Tame the Fire” celebrates the use of American steel in industrial landmarks from the Empire State Building to the Golden Gate Bridge.

A grant from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council enabled Joyce Hinnefeld, prize-winning fiction writer and assistant professor of English, to compile recollections of factory workers and their families for the narrative portion of the concert.

Lauren Nicholas ’01, who worked at CIT this summer before returning to graduate school at the New England Conservatory of Music, designed the CD’s graphics. And, Bev adds, the Music Department supplied the risers for the reception and concert.

Information: 610 760-1759.