Making history for peace
Presentation of 'On Eagle's Wing' shines international light on transformed county

By SHIRSTEN DREYER
For The Journal-Constitution

"On Eagle's Wing" runs May 7-9. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster locations and at the box office of the Gwinnett Arena. Visit www.oneagleswing.com for information.

When I learned Gwinnett County was to play host to the world premiere of the new musical production "On Eagle's Wing," I almost chuckled. Wasn't it just yesterday that Gwinnett County was considered the far reaches of metro Atlanta?

I recalled the grand opening of Gwinnett Place in 1984 and how I wondered then why someone would put a mall way out in Duluth.

Times -- and Gwinnett County -- have changed. "On Eagle's Wing," which premieres in our county in May, is a sign that Gwinnett has arrived on the international scene.

My participation with "On Eagle's Wing" began with a little green flier in my mailbox at Grace Bible Church last November. It encouraged local choir directors to meet John Anderson, a renowned composer from Northern Ireland. Anderson chose the Atlanta area for the world premiere of "On Eagle's Wing," which focuses on the struggle and indomitable spirit of the Scots-Irish. Being of Scots-Irish descent, I was intrigued and went to the meeting. That decision has enriched my life.

"On Eagle's Wing" has increased my appreciation of the Scots-Irish contribution to this country. I knew Scots-Irish immigrants played an integral part in cities such as Boston and New York City. I have since learned of the strong Scots-Irish influence in areas such as Nashville and the Shenandoah Valley. When I began pondering the similarities between clogging and highland dancing, fiddling and Celtic music, bagpipes and Appalachian instruments, I was struck with how deeply the centuries-old Scots-Irish culture is embedded in the South.

This experience also has given me a deeper appreciation for the strife in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. For many years, I have read of the history of tragic violence, but until now, felt removed from how the conflict divided that region.

"On Eagle's Wing" is an outgrowth of the Good Friday peace accord signed more than a decade ago by the governments of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The production's goal is to unite millions of people around the world who share a common Scots-Irish heritage and hope for a peaceful future.

Using numerous styles of song, dance and drama, "On Eagle's Wing" traces 400 years of the dramatic history and culture of a displaced people. I feel privileged to be one of the Atlanta-area singers in the production's 200-voice choir, not only because it is a thrill to sing in a world premiere, but also because this show is introducing me to a part of my own family history.

The event is also making history in Gwinnett. Through the efforts of Lawrenceville resident Michele Wright, president-elect of the Atlanta chapter of the Choristers Guild and director of choral relations for "On Eagle's Wing," several large metro area choral groups are participating in the premiere, including two Gwinnett-based performing ensembles -- the Gwinnett Choral Guild and the BJ Chorale. The rest of the choir is made up of individuals like me who jumped at the chance to be part of the groundbreaking event.

The show has generated a great deal of local excitement. Just last week I met Lord Laird of Artigarvan of Northern Ireland, a member of the British Parliament who came to Gwinnett to meet the choir and promote "On Eagle's Wing." On St. Patrick's Day, I and several other "On Eagle's Wing" choir members sang an "Irish ditty" titled "I'll Tell Me Ma" in a radio broadcast with George Jones, the United Kingdom's most popular disc jockey. Jones broadcast from Gwinnett's own Hudgens Center for the Arts.

To top it off, Northern Ireland's world champion bagpiper, Robert Watt, attended last week's choir rehearsal. Mesmerized by the power and beauty that Watt's instrument and talent contribute, I was moved to tears as he accompanied us on "Where Eagles Fly," a theme song from the production.

Nearly 100 participants from the "On Eagle's Wing" choir in Gwinnett will be selected to travel to Belfast at the end of May to sing with Northern Ireland natives in the performance there. The Belfast production will be videotaped by PBS for use in its fall pledge drive campaign here in the States.

For those in Gwinnett who, like me, remember when Satellite Boulevard didn't exist and the only "civic center" was in downtown Atlanta, Gwinnett has definitely come a long way. We should all count it an honor that our county is making history in the name of peace.