James Caldwell High School students joined The Longfellow Chamber Chorus for a few songs during Sunday's performance—part of Caldwell's Big Read program—at Grover Cleveland Middle School.

"This concert is the highlight of our Big Read of Longfellow's poetry," Caldwell Public Library Director Karen Kleppe Lembo said.

Among other works, the 16 Longfellow Chorus singers performed "The Poet's Calendar," "Now Had the Season Returned" and "The Death of Minnehaha."

There were 55 Caldwell High students who joined the chorus for the performance of Longfellow's poem, "Snow-Flakes," the music of which was written by Longfellow Chorus Director Charles Kaufmann.

The JCHS students prepared for months for the performance under the direction of Elsie Timpson, a Caldwell-West Caldwell music teacher.

Caldwell's Big Read of Longfellow

Since February, The Caldwells have been reading and celebrating Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and his poetry.

"We are so honored to have been chosen to receive a grant for the Big Read for the third time," Kleppe Lembo said. "We are especially delighted to be focusing on poetry, expressed through music, photography and the arts."

Highlights have included a public performance and school visits by Christopher Bing, acclaimed illustrator of Longfellow's "Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" and the celebration of Longfellow's 203rd birthday.

For more information, visit the Caldwell Library's Web site, blog site and the Big Read's Web site.