two concerts in the Music Hall. Both the singers and orchestra wore Colonial costumes. At the first concert on August 14, there were 2,000 people in attendance, more than had attended the symphony concerts conducted by Theodore Thomas. The music performed by the musical society consisted of 24 pieces by such 18th century New England composers as: William Billings, Oliver Holden, Jacob French, and Daniel Read. Some of these composers were later recorded by the Stoughton Musical Society on their LP album in 1975 titled "An Appeal to Heaven." Bicentennial celebration The Old Stoughton Musical Society celebrated with a concert again featuring Haydn's Creation. The concert was held on November 7, 1986, exactly two hundred years after its founding date. Letters of congratulation were received from President Ronald Reagan, a Proclamation naming the concert date as "Old Stoughton Musical Society Day" in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, signed by Governor Michael S. Dukakis, and an entry in the Congressional Record by Congressperson Joe Moakley of Massachusetts. A commemorative program was published which included "Notes from the Past", pictures of the chorus, and a hymn written by Bicentennial Chairman Roger L. Hall.<ref>Old Stoughton Musical Society 200th Anniversary Concert, Haydn's THE CREATION, Friday, November 7, 1986</ref> Stoughton composers The small town of Stoughton has produced a number of composers who have written music performed by the Stoughton Musical Society and other performing organizations: 18th century Supply Belcher, b. 1751/ d. 1836 (Farmington, Maine) Samuel Capen, b. 1745/ d. 1809 (Canton, Massachusetts) Edward French, b. 1761/ d. 1845 (Sharon, Massachusetts) Jacob French, b. 1754/ d. 1817 (Simsbury, Connecticut) 19th century Alanson Belcher, b. 1810/ d. 1900 (Stoughton) Edwin Arthur Jones, b. 1854/ d. 1911 (Stoughton)-- his cantata for soloists, chorus and orchestra, Song of Our Saviour (1881), received its world premiere performance in Stoughton in 1992. 20th century F. William Kempf, b. 1901/ d. 1950 (Stoughton)- one of his instrumental works, Suite Classique (1940) was performed by the Boston Pops, conducted by Arthur Fiedler. Laura Shafer Gebhardt, b. 1885/ d. 1959 (Stoughton) - composed Flag of All Our Country for the bicentennial of the Town of Stoughton in 1926. Roger Lee Hall, b. 1942 - composed several commemorative pieces, including Peace (1981/rev. 1990) and Dedication (1986). Notes References Roger L. Hall, Singing Stoughton: Selected Highlights from America's Oldest Choral Society, Old Stoughton Musical Society, 1985. Roger L. Hall, Music in Stoughton: A Brief Survey,