Chorale completes busy schedule
Press Release Date: 02-01-2010
DURANT, Okla. – The Southeastern Oklahoma State University Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Stacy Weger, has completed a busy performance schedule to begin 2010.
The Chorale started January with a tour of the southeastern United States. The tour included 13 performances in schools and churches. Concert highlights included performing at St. Mark's Cathedral in Shreveport, La., historic Holy Trinity in Vicksburg, Miss., and the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.
These venues were particularly outstanding acoustically for the traditional choral sound. Cheri Conway, senior music education major from Lone Grove, said, "Singing in such venues has created the best choral experiences of my life. Knowing that other choral groups of the highest quality seek out the opportunity to perform in these spaces enriches the experience even more."
For many students, the most meaningful performance came in the most unexpected of places, a concert at the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home for students ages 6-18 and their house parents. Marissa Musgrove, freshman music education student from Lone Grove, said, "The concert at the Children's Home was my favorite. The children seemed so happy we were there, and totally engaged with our singing. I enjoyed feeling the connection between us."
The Southeastern Chorale makes a priority of performing in schools as part of its mission to encourage choral music performance within a complete curriculum. The group visited high schools in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Interacting with almost 400 students, Chorale members sang, answered questions about music and school, and listened to the high school choirs perform.
The single best moment of the tour for Weger was the performance at the Broadmeadow United Methodist Church in Jackson, Miss. Weger said, "My Southeastern students made me so proud that night. I thought they responded so incredibly to the emotion of the evening, and gave what I think is their best performance on tour. The positive response from those in attendance was overwhelming."
The Chorale was joined on tour by Dr. Jeri Bonnin, Donna Massey Professor for Music Education, and Jeremy Blackwood, voice teacher and accompanist.
The busy schedule continued when the Chorale appeared as a featured performer at the annual convention of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association. The performance at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa marked the second appearance of the ensemble at the convention in recent years. Performing in the event is the highest honor afforded groups in the state.
The concert included a performance of "Of Fire and the Rose," the commissioned choral work by David Childs marking the Southeastern Centennial. The concert was enthusiastically received by the audience, with the Chorale taking an extended and vigorous standing ovation.
Saundra Arnold, choral director at Stroud High School, said, "I was drawn in by the gorgeous Medieval piece that began your performance. I was taken aback and could not imagine how you could impress me any more but by the time your group sang “The Psalm of Life," I had tears rolling down my cheeks. I am here to tell you, of all the things I heard at the convention, barring my own son's performance in the All-State band, your performance had the most affect on me."
The Southeastern Chorale is now preparing for the spring concert to be held April 28, and assisting in the recruitment of new students.