Department of Music presents 2008 Concert Choir, Chamber Singers in concert

Sept. 30, 2008 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro will present the ASU Concert Choir and Chamber Singers in concert on Monday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro. This performance is free and open to the public.



The ASU Concert Choir and Chamber Singers are under the direction of Dr. Dale Miller, director of Choral Activities, and are accompanied by pianist Luca Strazzullo.  Musical selections for the Concert Choir include “The Star-Spangled Banner,” arranged by Lloyd Pfautsch; “Ecce Dominus veniet,” a double chorus motet by Michael Praetorius; “Paratum cor meum,” a choral psalm setting by Johann Michael Haydn with a small instrumental ensemble accompaniment; “Ich aber bin elend,” a German a cappella double chorus motet by Johannes Brahms; “There Will Be Rest,” a twenty-first century piece for full chorus by University of Southern California professor of composition Frank Ticheli which is based upon the poetry of Sara Teasdale; and “Climbin’ Up the Mountain,” a spiritual by Moses Hogan. In addition, Janet Tullos, an ASU graduate conducting assistant, will be directing the choir in a piece entitled “All that Hath Life and Breath Praise Ye the Lord,” a twentieth-century setting for full chorus by Rene Clausen.

The Chamber Singers are directed by Dr. Miller and accompanied by Mr. Strazzullo.  They will perform several selections of madrigals, a German lied similar to a madrigal, and carols. The Italian madrigals will be “Ecco la Nimphe” by Orlando di Lasso and “Ch’ami la vita mia” by Claudio Monteverdi. The English madrigals will include Say Love, If Ever Thou Didst Find by John Dowland, accompanied by ASU guitar major Jay Shepherd, and “The Nightingale” by Thomas Weelkes, sung by the women of the Chamber Singers. The German lied will be “Feinslieb, du hast mich g’fangen” by Hans Hassler. Carols will include “Christmas Lullaby” by John Rutter and “Dives and Lazarus” by Ralph Vaughn Williams, sung by the men of the Chamber Singers. Ms. Tullos will also conduct a piece entitled “O Sons and Daughters of the King,” by Volckmer Leisring. This is a double chorus fanfare that will be assisted by the Concert Choir.

Personnel for the ASU Concert Choir include first sopranos Crystal Haralson of Paragould, Angela Jackson of Naylor, Mo., Becky Morrison of Jonesboro, Kari Rickman of Bono, Erica Tadlock of Jonesboro, Janet Tullos of Cabot, and Roberta Tupper of Bartlesville, Okla. Second sopranos are Dena Bell of Jonesboro, Morgan Cox of Paragould, Katie Fischer of Jacksonville, Melissa Jackson of Pine Bluff, Hannah McQuay of Jonesboro, Karen Murray of Washington D.C., Renee Porter Smith of Houston, Texas, Katherine Richards of Osceola, and Kayla Shown of Searcy. Singing first alto are Lauren Bridges of Marmaduke, Tiffanie Manes of Bryant, Jeanie Clements of Batesville, Rebecca Craft of Jonesboro, Sarah Moore of Dexter, Mo., Jordan Farris of Jonesboro, Madison Kuebler of Searcy, and Michelle Shotwell of Manila. Singing second alto will be Savanna Hailey of Paragould, Susan Hulett of Mountain Home, Jordan McBride of Jonesboro, Elizabeth Rountree of Hot Springs, Lorie Shavers of Pine Bluff, and Sloane Simmons of Jonesboro. The first tenor voices are Kyle Berry of Austin, Josh Dennis of Springfield, Mo., Wesley Hooper of Harrisburg, Craig McAlister of Jonesboro, Dustin Thomas of Manila, and John Yerger of Jonesboro. Second tenors are Jeremy Carter of Paragould, Sam Lee of Jonesboro, Nick Robbins of Manila, Adam Rigney of Blytheville, Willie Sullivan and Matt Vardell of Jonesboro. Baritones are Greg Eberhard of Harrisburg, Romero Harper of Wynne, Mark Parsley of Malvern, Andrew Pigott of Orlando, Fla., Kailon Ross of West Memphis, and John Sherwood of Searcy. Singing bass are Jarvis Brodie of Jonesboro, Gabrien Brown of Newport, Drew McCann of West Memphis, Blake Markham of Paragould, Brandon Stroud of Jonesboro, Jonathan Trail of Paragould, and Drew Warren of Manila.

Female personnel for the Chamber Singers are Jeanie Clements of Batesville, Rebecca Craft of Jonesboro, Katie Fischer of Jacksonville, Susan Hulett of Mountain Home, Angela Jackson of Naylor, Mo., Renee Porter Smith of Houston, Texas, Kari Rickman of Bono, Janet Tullos of Cabot, and Roberta Tupper of Bartlesville, Okla. Male personnel are Kyle Berry of Austin, Jeremy Carter of Paragould, Josh Dennis of Springfield, Mo., Greg Eberhard of Harrisburg, Nick Robbins of Manila, John Sherwood of Searcy, and Brandon Stroud and Matt Vardell, both of Jonesboro.

For more details, please call the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094.

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