The South Holland Master Chorale will perform Oct. 5 in Tinley Park and Oct. 12 in Homewood as it kicks off its 2025-26 season.

The 60-member chorale, including several singers from Homewood, is under direction of Philip J. Bauman. The concerts feature contemporary sacred and secular works. The Sunday performances are free and open to the public.

The 3 p.m. Oct. 5 concert will be at St. Julie Billiart Church, 7399 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park and the 4 p.m. Oct. 12 concert will be at St. John Neumann Parish, 17951 Dixie Highway in Homewood. 

Theme for the concerts is “You Do Not Walk Alone.” Accompanying the musical presentations will be Marilyn Bourgeois, piano; Mark Sudeith, organ; Pat White, cello; and Jeff Handley, percussion.

“Everyone has a journey and a story to tell,” Bauman said. “As singers, we do it in song. The story may be ours or that of someone else, but it’s certain to say, we have not traveled alone. Our intersection with others has created who we are, how we see, how we listen, how we feel and how we care for one another.

“Our collection of songs for our fall concerts touches on a wide variety of emotions from the composers of today. A mix of sacred and secular works reflects moments of celebration, joy, wonderment, consolation, beauty, the hereafter, and now.”

In June, two dozen chorale members performed French composer Gabriel Faure’s “Requiem” with an international chorus and orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The chorale gave a summer concert at the Village of South Holland’s Juneteeneth celebration.

In August, members joined the band Foreigner on its national tour for its performance of “I Want to Know What Love Is” at the Horseshoe Casino. The rock band has a longstanding tradition of inviting a local choir to join them in performing the hit song “I Want to Know What Love Is” as part of the band’s efforts to promote appreciation and support for the arts and music education.

Bauman said he is “continually impressed with the versatility of our singers and their willingness to explore. I was a bit nervous telling the group about our Foreigner invite; it’s a stretch from singing a Latin Mass. I was surprised and delighted they had the same reaction I did: ‘Heck yes, let’s do it.’ They were all in, as they are for every piece of music I put before them. 

“What an amazing group of singers we have in the Chorale and how lucky I am to work year-round with them. We are now turning our attention to the regular concert season, but who knows what invite is waiting around the corner!”