“Cooch’s Bridge: The Battle” by Jonathan W. Whitney features pipe organ and percussion performances featuring David Christopher on organ during two performances in Delaware — the first at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Wilmington followed by an encore performance in Lewes at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 8.
The upcoming performances will use music to highlight arguably the most well-known (and often misunderstood) part of the history at Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site: its role in the Revolutionary War. Past performances centering on the site and orchestrated by Whitney have highlighted other chapters of the homestead’s history, including a piece inspired by the Cooch family and last year’s work, “Cooch’s Bridge: The African American Experience.”
“If we can engage people through the music — which can only be done because Jonathan Whitney does such a thorough job researching the history behind these pieces — we can then inform the public using a different approach than we normally do,” said Suzanne Savery, Director of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. “This is an incredibly engaging and meaningful way to connect with the public to get the complex story about the battle out there, but also to foster a further interest in the history of the site.”
The performances are free and open to the public (although $25 donations are suggested), but registration is required. For more information or to sign up, visit the Friends online at friendsofcoochsbridge.org.
Whitney, a musician and composer, said the piece draws inspiration from the beautiful fall morning preceding the battle while the second half embraces the conflict “in all of its intensity, unsettledness and power.”
“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with several amazing historians from our community during the research phase of this composition: Keith Jackson, Chuck Fithian, Mary Torbey and Wade Catts,” he said. “They shared their knowledge about Cooch’s Bridge, the battle and military music openly as I worked to put together a full picture of what the day of the battle would have been like.”
Vince Watchorn, Friends of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site board president, said the group has been working with Whitney for years. Each movement of the Cooch’s Bridge suite features a different musical style: “The Battle,” being performed by pipe organ and percussion, can be difficult to develop practice under similar conditions to a concert. The University of Redlands (CA) offered the opportunity to workshop the piece as part of an overall residency with Whitney. In addition, Whitney worked with the university’s music department to perform “Cooch’s Bridge: The African American Presence” featuring University of Redlands’ students, faculty and community members as part of the experience (which was also livestreamed!). Through these experiences, students also gained insight about how the Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site fit into their individual understandings of American history.
“Part of the Friends’ vision is to assure that the historical and cultural legacy of Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site endures for future generations,” Watchom said. “Jonathan W. Whitney’s suite of concert works helps us engage an audience beyond history lovers in stories about the site and the populations who lived, worked, fought and died there. The more people of different interests who engage with Cooch’s Bridge, the more likely it is that the site will still be important 100 years from now.”
The Lewes Concert on June 8th at 4 pm will take place at St Peter’s Episcopal Church. To register for the concert in Lewes, click on the following link and select the Lewes date: REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE .
