What does one call a concert with 243 singers drawn from seven choirs from Alabama, Georgia, and Indiana, singing fourteen works by fourteen different composers? The presenting organization Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) called it “Vocal Colors,” in what was a night filled with a wide variety of music, some playful, some poignant, but all performed with commitment and a sense of joy.
The honor of opening the concert was given to the Alabama A&M University Concert Choir. Led by Horace R. Carney, Jr., they offered six works that showcased their versatility in a wide range of styles. Humor abounded in Paul Carey’s Play With Your Food, featuring some clever skits (including a serenade to a box of instant mashed potatoes), which had the audience laughing out loud. Water Night by Eric Whitacre was done with sensitivity, but the gospel inspired works were a cut above the rest. The opening work, Lift Every Voice and Sing from Roland Carter, immediately established that this choir was the real deal. Hehlehlooyah from James Furman allowed the choir to demonstrate their mastery of more contemporary complexities, and Stacy Gibbs’ setting of Psalm 46 in Be Still and Know was given a quietly powerful and assured performance. Maestro Carney extolled his choir to pull out all the stops in Moses Hogan’s Elijah, a dazzling tour-de-force that ended their set in triumphant style. The audience loved it and showed the appreciation for this high-octane finale with a well-served standing ovation. I must admit that I would have expected an ensemble of this caliber to close the concert. The high-level of their performance no doubt inspired the two choirs that followed.
After a short pause, four choirs from Indiana joined together under the direction of Scott R. Buchanan. They were the Cathedral High School Singers, the Elkhart Memorial Chamber Choir, the Indiana State University Concert Choir, and the Terre Haute South Chamber Singers. They offered seven works. As with the Alabama singers, versatility was very much a theme. The simple (F. Melius Christiansen’s Praise to the Lord and Blow Ye the Trumpet by Kirke Mechem) and the complex (Hosanna in excelsis from Brent Pierce) were delivered with equal measures of skill in very polished performances. Not to be overlooked were the lovely Autumn by Joshua Shank, using Rainier Maria Rilke’s poem of the same name for the text, and Jeffery L. Ames’ achingly poignant In Remembrance, including piano and violin accompaniment,written after a tragic accident that took the life of one of the composer’s students and two members of her family. Maestro Buchanan steered his forces through these diverse works with careful attention to the subtle details. The highlight of their set was Ritmo by Dan Davison, which was a treat for both eyes and ears. Complete with polyrhythmic hand clapping and stomping, the choreographed movements were in perfect synch, which added an extra dimension to a lively, exciting work. In a final touch of showmanship, the singers executed the “wave” to the delight of all. They brought their set and the half to a festive close with Damon H. Dandridge’s energetic Rockin’ Jerusalem, which was rewarded with a standing ovation.
After intermission, The Combined Choral Ensembles of Davidson Fine Arts School and Westminster Chorale took the stage. Hailing from Georgia, these young singers were led by Timothy Michael Powell in his work Saint George and the Dragon. Many are familiar with the legend of Saint George rescuing the captive Princess Sabra from the evil dragon Ascalon and saving the Kingdom of Silene. In this version, with libretto by Charles Anthony Silvestri, the story is given a new telling fitting for today’s world. The Princess is someone who wishes to explore everything, but her father gives her up in ignorance to what he thinks is a monster. The dragon is a force for good and sets the Princess free and offers to carry her around the world so she might explore. Finally, our erstwhile hero George is an awkward teenager who is sincere but completely misguided what he believes to be his duty. He is not very bright, but eventually the dragon teaches him with compassion that there is more to things than meets the eyes. George grows into a hero worthy of sainthood, and Sabra and Ascalon fly off to explore the world. The message is clear: 1. Women do not need saving, they are strong and smart. 2. Appearances can be deceiving. 3. We are all capable of rising above long-held prejudices if we open our minds and hearts to do so. Mr. Powell has written a work that allows younger singers to showcase their developing talents, without making it sound pandering, a mark of a skilled composer who understands the voice in all stages of development. Including a piano and violin accompaniment, this work was led with the steady guiding influence of Mr. Powell. It was given a standout performance by some up-and-coming talents. It is always a treat to see the smiles on the faces of these young performers as they give it their all. It is an image I never tire of, and when it is paired with a polished performance, it is all the better. The audience loved it and rewarded the group with a standing ovation, ending what was a great evening of music.
