The Arpad Darazs Singers will begin its Spring 2006 concerts series May 1 at the Sterling Garden Center in Columbia.

The concerts are free and open to the public.

The theme of the concerts, "How Can I Keep from Singing?', is taken from one of the selections, an arrangement of the folk hymn by John Leavitt. There are several folk songs by Ralph Vaughn Williams, Bartok, and J.S. Bach; some traditional spirituals including "Deep River" and "Hold On!"; and some traditional selections such as the Holst "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" and a Gilbert Martin arrangement of "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

The much-loved Rutter arrangement of "For the Beauty of the Earth" is also included, as well as the Rutter "Te Deum."

The complete schedule of concerts is:

• May 1, 7 p.m., Sterling Garden Center, 320 Senate St., Columbia
• May 7, 6 p.m., Greenlawn Baptist Church, 6612 Garners Ferry Rd., Columbia
• May 18, 7 p.m., St. David's Episcopal Church, 605 Polo Rd., Columbia
• May 21, 5 p.m., North Charleston Methodist Church, 1125 East Montague Ave., North Charleston.

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