50th Annual Choral Festival set for Nov. 9 and 10
Morehead State University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance will host the 50th Annual Choral Festival for High School Singers on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 9 and 10.
On Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., the MSU choirs, under the direction of Dr. Greg Detweiler and Roosevelt Escalante, will present their festival concert. The performance will be held at First Baptist Church, 123 E. Main Street, Morehead. The concert is free to the public and the audience is encouraged to come early.
On Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m., the High School Festival SSAA and SATB Choirs will present a concert at Baird Music Hall on the MSU campus. The two choirs are comprised of 400 singers from 26 high schools in Kentucky and Ohio.
The guest conductor of the SSAA Choir is Jason Paulk, director of choral activities at Eastern New Mexico University, and the guest conductor of the SATB Choir is the internationally renowned conductor Rod Eicheberger.
Admission for the concert is $5 for adults and $3 for those 12 and under.
Monday’s program will open with the MSU Chamber Singers. They will perform Renaissance madrigals and the contemporary “VoiceDance” by Greg Jasperse. University Chorus will follow with several arrangements of American folk songs and spirituals. Jazz Vocal Ensemble will perform “The More I See You” and “Walkin Down The Street.” The Black Gospel Ensemble will perform “My Love, My Life, My All” and “Livin’.” The host choir, the MSU Concert Choir, will close the concert with “Os Justi” by Anton Bruckner, “Prelude” by Ola Gjello, “The Ocean of Peace” by Ralph Johnson, “Ukrainian Alleluia” by Craig Courtney, and the spiritual, “I Got a Home in-a Dat Rock,” arranged by Moses Hogan.
MSU associate professors of voice Dr. Ricky Little and Dr. Roma Prindle will be the featured soloists in the program.
Tuesday’s concert will open with the SSAA High School Festival Choir. They will sing “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” by Linda Rice Beck, “Suscepti Israel” from J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, “Yo Le Canto Toda El Dia” by David Brunner, “Heart, We Will Forget Him” by Michael Hennagin, “How Can I Keep from Singing” arranged by Gwyneth Walker, and “Holy is the Lord” by Jeffrey Ames.
The SATB Festival High School choir will conclude the concert with “Down to the River to Pray” arranged by Marc Hafso, “Haste Thee, Nymph” by George Frideric Handel, “In Remembrance” by Jeffrey Ames, “Nigun Bialik” arranged by A.W. Binder, “Loch Lommond” arranged by Jonathan Quick, and “Now Let Us Sing!” arranged by Gwyneth Walker.
Winners of the high school vocal solo competition will perform their selections between the performances of the two high school festival choirs.
Additional information is available by calling Dr. Detweiler, associate professor and director of choral activities, at (606) 783-2480.
Posted: 11-3-09
