LaGRANGE — Fresh off the heels of the inaugural 2016 West Georgia Choral Arts Festival, local vocalists are again prepping their voices to sing to the masses for a special Palm Sunday concert.

The Choral Society of West Georgia will perform “Requiem and Cantique dé Jean Racine” by Gabriel Faure on Sunday, March 20, under the direction of Artistic Director Bettie Biggs.

Biggs said the requiem has seven movements and will be performed by the choral entirely in Latin. She said the song fits perfectly for the beginning of Holy Week.

“The music sends a message of peace … restoration. It sends a message of redemption. The piece has a great serenity about it,” Biggs explained.

Requiem also holds a special place in her heart that Biggs said she is excited to share with the community.

“I have been in love with this piece since high school. I sang it in high school. This was a piece of music that made me think, ‘This is what I want to do with my life,’” she remembered. “It had a huge impact on my life … it’s in my DNA. I could stand here today and sing it all from memory. It just had a tremendous impact on me.”

Biggs said the second piece, “Cantique dé Jean Racine,” will be performed in English and feature three soloists. Both songs will also include musicians who will play the violin, piano, harp and organ.

“These are full choral masterworks that are generally performed together and usually during Palm Sunday and Holy Week, which is why we chose to hold the concert during this time of year,” Biggs explained. “It will be a lovely way to enjoy the afternoon and take time to reflect.

“The performance is very significant for our singers,” she continued. “We usually don’t sing in a foreign language. It’s been a stretch to sing in Latin, so it means a lot to them.”

According to Biggs, in honor of Holy Week, the Choral Society of West Georgia will offer the concert as a “gift” to the community. The performance is free of charge.

The choir asks patrons make a donation to the Choral Society of West Georgia, a nonprofit organization, in lieu of ticket sales.

The Choral Society of West Georgia will perform on Sunday at First Presbyterian Church, 120 Broad St. The concert starts at 4 p.m.

Since the performance will be free, seating will be limited.