This year the nation is celebrating the bicentennial of the national anthem, written by Francis Scott Key, who was born in 1779 at Terra Rubra, the family plantation, near Keymar. But you needn't travel hither and yon to participate in honoring the 200th anniversary of "The Star-Spangled Banner" or the man who penned it.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church will be hosting a Taneytown Community Patriotic Concert beginning at 3 p.m. June 29.
This year's theme is "kind of a big thing," said Cathy Elkiss, director of music ministries and organist for the church, who said she'll kick off the concert with all four verses of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as Key wrote them.
According to the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, the song was inspired by one of two flags commissioned in 1813 by Maj. George Armistead, Fort McHenry's commanding officer, and made by Baltimore City flag maker Mary Pickersgill. The 30- by 40-foot garrison flag that would become the cultural icon known and referred to as the Star-Spangled Banner is on display at the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
Key would witness the flag still flying on Sept. 14, 1814, after a 25-hour bombardment of the fort by a British troopship anchored four miles from the fort, and pen a poem that was first called "Defence of Fort M'Henry." The poem would later be set to the tune of "To Anacreon in Heaven" by John Stafford Smith and eventually came to be called "The Star-Spangled Banner." The U.S. Congress enacted legislation making it the official national anthem in 1931.
Performing this and other pieces will be 45 singers, including the Trinity Lutheran choir joined by members of the Taneytown Community Chorus and members of the Senior Singers of Carroll County.
"What's really cool," Elkiss said, is that 22 or 23 of Runnymede Elementary's honors chorus members will be featured guests under the direction of Karen Sirian, a Trinity Lutheran choir member. The students will sing a few pieces alone and join the main chorus for others, Elkiss said.
The combined chorus will also perform "Before the Lord We Bow." Elkiss said this piece isn't "sung too much, but it was written for a [July 4, 1832] patriotic concert, and the choir will perform it [so the audience can] get a taste of something else he wrote."
Audience members, too, will have a chance to raise their voices and sing along with performances of "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful" as well as the seldom sung "Maryland, My Maryland," Elkiss said. "We keep it pretty well-rounded."
Admission is free and includes a reception following the concert.
"You've got to eat afterwards," Elkiss said. "One of our very capable women in the church will provide refreshments" for all to enjoy while talking or making new friends.
This is the third year for the event, Elkiss said. The subject of last year's concert was Maryland's role in the Battle of Gettysburg and the Civil War.
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, at 38 W. Baltimore St. in Taneytown, is handicapped accessible. There is ample parking behind the church.
For more information about the concert, visit http://www.telct.org or contact the church office at office@telct.org or 410-756-6626.
To learn more about the Star-Spangled Banner flag or song, visit the Smithsonian online at amhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/. For information about Maryland's role in the War of 1812 or the Star-Spangled Spectacular free festival planned for Sept. 10-16 at Fort McHenry, visit http://www.starspangled200.org.
