The Texarkana Regional Chorale and Orchestra will present the world premiere of “Stabat Mater,” an original composition by Marc-André Bougie, Associate Professor of Music at Texarkana College, on Tuesday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
The performance will feature nearly 100 performers, including Texarkana College students and community members. Soprano Candace Taylor and Bass-Baritone Justin Ramm-Damon will serve as featured soloists.
Bougie began developing the work in April 2024. The composition integrates the traditional Stabat Mater prayer text with the Regina Coeli chant, creating what he describes as a “Fantasy on Regina Coeli.”
“The themes of reconciliation and resolution are important aspects of my compositional work, and the association of these two ancient prayers provided fertile ground for exploring these ideas,” Bougie said in his program notes.
The seven-movement work progresses from dramatic opening themes through introspective middle sections, culminating in a triumphant finale featuring the full Regina Coeli chant.
Following the Texarkana premiere, the composition will be performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City on May 25, 2026. An additional performance with piano accompaniment is scheduled for March 25 at First United Methodist Church in Texarkana, Arkansas.
The concert is free and open to the public. A Mardi Gras celebration fundraiser will follow in the Parish Hall, with $35 admission supporting the ensemble’s trip to Carnegie Hall.