Music lovers in the Merrill area will have a rare opportunity to hear the Unkalung Choir from Madison on April 6 at 5:30 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church. The volunteer choir combines the voice with a bamboo instrument from Thailand – the Unkalung. Directed by Betty Mansfield, the Unkalung Choir is the only known performing group in the world that blends the native Thai instrument with Western voices.
The choir was formed in 1977 after Mansfield traveled to Thailand to study the instrument and adapt it to present day Western music. Serving as a public relations tool for the Bethel Series, the choir has toured and performed throughout the United States, and in Canada, Russia and Norway, delighting audiences with their ethereal performances. The group consists of 15 Madison area musicians who feel privileged to share their faith through their music. As an arm of the Adult Christian Education Foundation, they are considered a Bethel Series treasure.
There is no admission charge, but a free will offering will be taken.