Converse Chorale and Chambers Singers to Perform Monday

At 7:30 pm on Monday, March 9 Petrie School of Music will present the Converse Chorale and Chamber Singers in Daniel Recital Hall. The Converse Chorale is conducted by Adjunct Instructor of Chorale Holt Andrews, who is also the minister of music at First Presbyterian Church of Spartanburg. The Chamber Singers is a small select ensemble conducted by Associate Professor of Voice and Director of Choral Activities Susan Lyle.

The Chorale portion of the concert will open with “Laudamus Te” by Antonio Caldara, and will be followed with three pieces by Felix Mendelssohn: “Laudate Pueri,” “Wasserfahrt,” and “He watching Over Israel.” In keeping with the sacred tone of the concert but adding variety of style are two arrangements of “Laudate Dominum” by Egil Hovland and then by W. A. Mozart. Andrews commented, “I think the concert will offer a nice variety of choral styles. Choral music lovers will enjoy the arrangements of two classic choruses for women’s voices: ‘He Watching Over Israel’ by Mendelssohn and ‘Laudate Dominum’ by Mozart.” The final piece, “I Thank You God,” showcases the wonderful talents of American composer Gwyneth Walker.

The Chamber Singers will open with “Ubi Caritas,” a beautiful four-part piece based on an ancient Latin chant interwoven with a homophonic English setting. The theme of the piece is “Where charity and love prevail there God is ever found.”  Next will be a two-part piece in madrigal style by American composer Theron Kirk, conducted by Converse student Marybeth Sanders.  The final piece is the “Gloria” movement from a Mass by Hungarian composer Gyorgi Orban. Dr. Lyle says of the piece, “This setting of the ‘Gloria’ is contemporary and at times dissonant, with rhythmic vitality and a great piano accompaniment that will be played by Mildred Roche.”