Southeastern Chorale to present fall concert on Nov. 11

Press Release Date: 10-28-2010

DURANT, Okla. – The Southeastern Chorale, Southeastern Oklahoma State University’s premier choral ensemble, will present Of Whimsies and Whispers…A Child’s Soundscape, on Thursday, November 11.

The concert will be held in Montgomery Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

The music for this fall concert is reminiscent of texts and music of childhood, including themes on nursery rhymes, Lewis Carroll tales, ghost stories, animals, and even a reflection on the Muppets.

Dr. Stacy Weger, Director of the Chorale, said: "It has been a most interesting process in programming music for this concert. The diversity of music has been fun to explore. I was very pleased to see the wide range of compositions available, some from very notable composers such as Hector Berlioz, John Rutter, and Eric Whitacre. The pieces present real vocal challenges to our singers, who have to all the while present the fun and whimsy the music calls for in performance. We are hoping that the appeal of the concert material will help broaden our audience for choral music."

Selections for this concert range from "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to "Contrapunto Bestiale Alla Mente" (Counterpoint of the Animals), a Renaissance work.

Dell McLain, Chair for Art, Communication and Theatre at Southeastern will join the Chorale for a narrated version of "Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf", arranged by Norman Luboff. John Rutter’s "Five Childhood Lyrics" serves as one anchor for this concert, with Eric Whitacre’s "Animal Crackers" rounding out the choral offerings.

Weger says, "We are excited about presenting this concert. It certainly presents the opportunity for parents to bring their children to a traditional form of singing, and also offers the young ones a chance to learn about concert etiquette and how to listen on a different level. We perform a great deal in schools, and we consider this an extension of our efforts to make choral music a viable and meaningful arts offering in our region. But to be clear, this is not just a ‘Children’s Concert’. There is something for children of all ages, even those up and beyond 40 years."

Dr. Robert McFadden, Professor of Piano at Southeastern will serve as accompanist for this concert.

For more information please contact the Department of Music at 580-745-2088.