Converse Chorale: Come Travel With Me

Keith Jones, director
Anne Graff, accompanist
With guest instrumentalists Andrew Addis, drum set; Adena McDaniel, congas; Lauren Sellars, horn; David Sereque, double bass; and Josh Wood, cello

Converse Chorale, Converse University’s premiere women’s chorus, will present its fall concert on Friday, November 10 at 7:30 pm in Daniel Recital Hall. The concert will open with Scott Farthing’s Come Travel With Me, inspired by Walt Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road.” The following set of four pieces by contemporary composers explore themes of sisterhood, aspirational growth, and an appreciation of the beautiful things life has to offer.

Our second set presents two traditional spirituals, The first, “I’m On My Way”, was popularized by Mahalia Jackson during the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 60s under the title, “If You Go, Don’t Hinder Me. The other, Keep Your Lamps!”, uses the parable of the wise and foolish virgins as a metaphor for readiness for escape.

The third set has resonated especially well with the chorus. It is a jazz setting of the Catholic mass abbreviated to five sections (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, and Agnus Dei) with piano, bass, and drum set accompaniment. It will be difficult to sit still as you listen to the different styles of this creative musical setting.

The concert concludes with two more style changes. We will present two pieces in musical theatre style – “Astonishing,” from Jason Howland’s Little Women, and Craig Carnelia’s beautifully yearning poem and musical setting, “Flight”. The concert will conclude with Eleanor Daley’s setting of the Charles Dickens poem, “Things That Never Die”.

The concert is free and open to the public. Please join us!