KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) For director Morgan Bothwell, this season’s final concert with The Chamber Singers of Keene is more than a performance — it’s a carefully shaped musical journey and a personal farewell.

On Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m., the ensemble will take audiences on what Bothwell describes as a “music through time” experience, moving from Renaissance-era works to modern compositions, all tied together by a deliberate emotional and narrative arc.

“This isn’t just a collection of beautiful pieces,” Bothwell said in a recent interview. “It’s meant to feel like a progression — something the audience experiences from beginning to end.”

The program is divided into five sets, each reflecting a different era and sound world. It opens with early choral staples, including Thomas Tallis’ “If Ye Love Me” and works by Palestrina and Byrd — music Bothwell describes as “light, clear and immediately beautiful.”

From there, the concert moves steadily forward through history, touching on composers like Schütz, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Rheinberger, before arriving at the rich harmonic language of Francis Poulenc.

That fourth set, featuring Poulenc’s “Salve Regina” and “O Magnum Mysterium,” is among the most technically demanding on the program.

“It’s harmonically dense — what I call ‘crunchy,’” Bothwell explained. “The chords don’t always resolve the way you expect, and that means the singers have to be incredibly precise — not just matching pitch, but matching frequency and tone. It forces a different kind of listening.”

The challenge, he said, is part of the artistic goal — both for the singers and the audience.

“In a world where everything moves so quickly, there’s something powerful about music that asks you to slow down and really sit inside a phrase,” he said.

The final set shifts into the modern era with a more intimate, imaginative tone. Two pieces by contemporary composer Cheryl Sherrock — “Bed in Summer” and “Escape at Bedtime,” both set to texts by Robert Louis Stevenson — explore childhood wonder and restlessness.

“They capture that feeling of being a kid — being told to go to bed while the world is still happening outside,” Bothwell said. “There’s frustration, but also this incredible sense of imagination.”

The concert closes not with a triumphant crescendo, but with a quiet, sustained ending — a choice Bothwell made intentionally.

“Anyone can sing loud,” he said. “But singing softly, beautifully, with control — that’s where the real artistry is. Ending that way is a challenge, but it’s also more reflective.”

The program concludes with works including Duruflé’s “Ubi Caritas” and “Lauridsen’s O Nata” Lux, requiring what Bothwell describes as a delicate “push and pull” in phrasing.

“I tell the choir it’s like pulling warm taffy,” he said. “It takes effort, control and a shared sense of direction.”

The ensemble itself remains intentionally small — about 22 singers — preserving the intimacy and accountability of a true chamber group.

“In this kind of ensemble, every voice matters,” Bothwell said. “There’s nowhere to hide, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.”

Accompanying the group is pianist Kirsten Davis Becker, whom Bothwell praised as an exceptional collaborator.

“She’s one of the best pianists I’ve worked with,” he said. “She brings so much depth to the performance.”

The May 3 concert also marks the end of Bothwell’s tenure with the group. After this season, he will leave New Hampshire to pursue a doctorate in choral conducting in Illinois.

While excited for the next chapter, he said stepping away from the ensemble is bittersweet.

“They’ve been incredibly generous — with their time, their energy, their willingness to take on challenging music,” he said. “I couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

That sense of intention extends beyond the music itself. Bothwell said he approaches programming with the belief that every concert should offer something meaningful to each listener.

“Not everyone is going to love every piece,” he said. “But someone in the audience might need to hear one particular moment. If that’s the case, then it’s worth giving everything to build a program that makes that possible.”

The Chamber Singers of Keene will perform Sunday, May 3 at 7 p.m. at St. James Church in Keene. Tickets are $20 at the door, and more information — including audition details for future seasons — is available at chambersingerskeene.org.