Fall Vocal Concert Essay

St Ambrose University Fall Vocal Concert included performances by the University Chorale, Chamber Singers and Bee Sharp conducted by Dr. Nathan Windt. The Fall Vocal Concert was held in the Galvin Fine Arts Center. My favorite University Chorale piece was the Stars as it was an a cappella performance by tuned wine glass players. I liked how the Chamber Singers tied the Halloween theme into their performances, as it was late October at the time. Once again the vocal concert was made up of a broad range of students with different backgrounds and educational goals. The University Chorale pieces are from classical contemporary composers. The Cantate Domino by Ivo Antognini explores rhythm and texture as it weaves through various time signatures revealing the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. Afternoon on a Hill by Eric William Barnim is a contemporary chorale writing based off of the lyrical poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Desde Lo Hondo by Farncisco J Nunez is a duality of penance, the struggle of life and death, either give up or reconcile. Stars by Eriks Esenvalds was performed a cappella by the tuned wine glass players expressing overtones of pitch. Way Over in Beulah Lan’ arranged by Stacey

Praise our Lord, all ye Gentiles is a six part anthem, from the 1611 collection of Psalms, Songs and Sonnets, the vigorous rhythmic opening is replaced by gentler melodic outlines at the words ‘because his mercy is confirmed upon us’. The next two pieces have somewhat of a Halloween theme: O Lord, the Maker of All Thing by William Mundy and Timor et Tremor by Orlando di Lasso. They begin with the exploration of fear and trembling, fear and our reaction to fear and lastly ask the Lord to save us and keep us from bad dreams. The last University Chorale piece is Factum est silentium by Richard Dering it is about the battle between the deranged arch angel