The Bach and Handel Chorale highlights the Passion-Easter season at its April 30 concert at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 21 Church St., Jim Thorpe. The concert begins at 3 p.m.

Once again the chorale is joined by a festival orchestra as it presents a premier performance of the short Passion-Easter Cantata "Son of God."The cantata draws on several Carbon County artists. Randall D. Perry, founder, conductor, and musical director of the chorale wrote the music for "Son of God" at the request of local artist Christine Eubanks, who wrote the lyrics. The soloist is Rebekah McFadden who has a broad musical background and is well-known as the lead vocalist and keyboardist for the band Becky and the Beasts.Perry is also collaborating for the first time with his youngest brother, Tim Perry, who is playing rhythm guitar with the orchestra for the cantata. Tim Perry is a rock, blues, and ballad guitarist who also plays with Becky and the Beasts.The cantata lasts only 15 minutes but consists of four parts, of which only one is in the traditional Baroque style of music for which the Bach and Handel Chorale is known.Concertgoers will enjoy a selection of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Andreas Hammerschmidt, and Sir John Stainer. From Bach's "Mass in B Minor BWV232," the chorale will sing "Et Incarnatus est," "Crucifixus" and "Dona Nobis Pacem."Also, the chorale will sing the timeless "Jesus, bleibet meine Freude" (known as "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring") by Bach. It will be sung in the original German language. Handel's "Behold the Lamb of God" from "Messiah" rounds out the music sung in honor of the chorale's namesakes. The concert begins with "Holy Is the Lord" by Hammerschmidt followed by "God So Loved the World" (from "The Crucifixion") by Stainer.Maestro Perry will perform a piano solo of his own arrangement of "Everything I Own" by David Gates and will be accompanied by the full orchestra. Finally, Perry has orchestrated two of his well known works, "I'll Always Have a Friend" and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today," bringing new orchestral breadth to these two pieces.For tickets or more information, contact the Bach and Handel Chorale office at (570) 325-4794; 810 Carbon Ave., Jim Thorpe; or online at

www.bhchorale.org.In addition to the concert, participants are entitled to dine at a discount at several area restaurants. Visit the website for more information.