Glee Club, Chorale Unite Voices for Mid-winter Concert
Voices unite to sing a variety of Scottish and English compositions at the annual mid-winter concert of the Alma College Glee Club and College Chorale.
The concert takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 20th in the Remick Heritage Center, Presbyterian Hall. Admission is free; no ticket is required.
The first half of the program features the Glee Club singing two Scottish songs, "My Heart's in the Highlands" and "Weaving Lilt," which Tony Patterson and Will Nichols, director of the Glee Club and Chorale, have composed for them.
Men of the Chorale
The Chorale follows, singing "Rejoice in the Lamb" by the English composer Benjamin Britten.
“’Rejoice in the Lamb’ is a fantastical cantata of the brilliant poem by 18th Century poet Christopher Smart,” says Nichols. “Interestingly, the poet wrote it while incarcerated in an insane asylum.”
The Chorale and Glee Club join forces during the second half of the program to perform "Mass in G" by Franz Schubert.
“The 20-minute Mass setting is a little gem of classical music full of the wonderful melodies music lovers expect from Schubert,” says Nichols.
Glee Club
Four Alma College music majors will take turns conducting the Schubert Mass, including Jackson senior Donald Best, Caledonia junior Courtney Claflin, Cadillac senior Brittany Lewis and Mackinaw City junior Brett Yzquierdo.
“All of them are preparing for careers as conductors,” says Nichols. “They have been working with the choirs in preparation of this music and will lead the concert.”
Best says, “There is a little bit of everything in this concert. We have worked very hard to put on a really good performance that everyone will enjoy.”
Washington first-year student Brendan Lodge, one of 70 singers in the College Chorale, says, “The unity of our choirs makes for a really nice sound.”
Elwell senior and alto Melody Germain says, “My favorite part about the Chorale/Glee Club concert is that this is really the chance for our choirs to truly shine. We get to sing music that has more meat to it.”
Posted: Mon, February 14th, 2011 at 7:56AM
