The Northern Michigan University Arts Chorale and University Choir will present their first concert of the 2021 Fall Concert Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5, in Reynolds Recital Hall.
“This fall concert will highlight these two vocal ensembles in a way that brings light to the choral arts,” said Director of Choirs Erin Colwitz. “We are doing a lot of exciting music, as well as some emotionally moving pieces that will hopefully impact our audience members. All in all, the performance entails a mixture of pieces that are a good fit for these ensembles.”
The lineup includes works by composers Luca Marenzio, Eric Whitacre, Edvard Grieg, Claudio Monteverdi, Craig Hella Johnson and others.
“One of the pieces we're performing is from Considering Matthew Shepard, which is a musical response to the murder of Matthew Shepard,” said Colwitz. “We're performing ‘Meet Me Here,' which is about the people we've lost and people who have perished because of their sexuality. It's a provocative and really beautiful piece. It is about love, light and learning to live together despite our differences. It's got a great message.”
Two selections are from the Renaissance era and will be conducted by music education majors Caitlin Palomaki and Curt Rogan. Rogan will conduct the University Choir's performance of “Tchaka,” a Haitian Creole piece about a type of stew. Palomaki will conduct the Arts Chorale's rendition of “Si Ch'io Vorrei Morrire” by Claudio Monteverdi.
“Our goal is to provide them both with conducting experience before they go into student teaching,” said Colwitz. “They get to conduct and rehearse their own piece in each concert this semester to gain this experience."
In addition to each choir performing their own sets of songs, sopranos and altos from the both ensembles will perform “Ride on, King Jesus” together. Male vocalists from the choirs will perform a Scandinavian song titled “Brothers, Sing On,” which Colwitz describes as being a “blast” and a “very fun song.”
Admission is free and live streaming will be available here.