Department of Music to present 2010 Winter Choir concert Feb. 23

Feb. 17, 2010 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the ASU Concert Choir and University Singers Men’s and Women’s Choirs in concert on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro. The concert is presented under the direction of Dr. Dale Miller, director of choral activities, and graduate conducting assistants Janet Tullos of Cabot and Patrick Manes of Bryant. The evening’s performance will feature the graduate recital of Ms. Tullos as she leads the Concert Choir and the Delta String Quartet in Eric Whitacre’s “Five Hebrew Love Songs.” Members of the quartet are Rebecca Markowski and Marcia Burns, violins, Paul Markowski, viola, and Elaine Bartee, cellist.



The first group of the evening to perform will be the Women’s Choir, accompanied by senior vocal performance major Willie Sullivan on the piano.  Selections conducted by Dr. Miller will include a madrigal by Thomas Morley, “Though Philomela Lost Her Love,” a Brazilian folk song setting by Heitor Villa-Lobos, “As Costurieras,” a women’s barbershop arrangement of “Battle Hymn” by West, and a 19^th century motet by Felix Mendelssohn, “Surrexit Pastor Bonus.” Soloists for the Mendelssohn will be Anna Ganong, Jana Waters, and Lauren Turpin. Ms. Tullos will conduct the women in the duet “Wir eilen mit schwachen” from J. S. Bach’s Cantata no. 78.

Following the Women’s Choir, the Men’s Choir, also accompanied by Sullivan, will perform “Die Minnesaenger” by Robert Schumann, marking the 200^th anniversary of Schumann’s birth.  Also under Miller’s direction, the men will sing “Prayer of the Children” by Kurt Bestor, arranged for men’s voices by Andrea S. Klause, and a Barbershop Harmony Society arrangement of “Spiritual Medley.”  Mr. Manes will conduct the men in a performance of “Black is the Color of My True-love’s Hair” arranged by Victor Johnson, accompanied by Mr. Sullivan and assisted by cellist Ms. Bartee, an elementary music teacher from Jonesboro and founding member of the Delta String Quartet.

In addition to Ms. Tullos’s recital piece, the Concert Choir will also present “Sing Unto God” by Paul Fetler, “O Vos Omnes” by Carlo Gesualdo, and the spiritual “We Shall Walk Through the Valley in Peace” arranged by Moses Hogan, all conducted by Dr. Miller.  Piano accompanist for the group is Brian Henkelmann, ASU staff pianist and organist at First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro.

Personnel for the ASU Women’s Choir include first sopranos: Katie Matney of Trumann, and Anna Ganong, Hannah McQuay, and Becky Morrison, all of Jonesboro. Second sopranos are Dena Mueller, Samantha Sanders, Tamera Keener, and Jordan Farris, all of Jonesboro; Melissa Jackson of Pine Bluff, Beth Dial of Malvern, and Kate Smith of Wynne. Singing first alto are Magan Canoy of Jonesboro, Suemone Christian of Bryant, Madison Kuebler of Searcy, Abbie Ganong and Jana Waters of Jonesboro, and Savanna Traylor of Mountain Home. Singing second alto will be Michelle Byrd of Pine Bluff, Elizabeth Rountree of Hot Springs, Sloane Simmons of Jonesboro, Lauren Turpin of Trumann and Miranda Weaver of Rector.

Personnel for the ASU Men’s Choir include Blake Watters of Mountain View, Courtney Hostler of Pine Bluff, Cody Steele of Paragould, and Craig McAlister and John Yerger of Jonesboro, first tenors; Jay Shepherd of Paragould, Steven McCloud of Chicago, Ill., Antwon Staton of Little Rock, Nick Robbins of Manila, and Sam Lee and Chris Orr, both of Jonesboro, second tenors; Jordan Norred and Zac Adams of Piggott, Ray Fromme of Highland, Ill., Romero Harper of Wynne, Toan Tran of Viet Nam, and Kale McDaniel and Matt Morgan of Jonesboro, baritones; and Patrick Manes and Adam Earhart of Bryant, Jacob Kelley of Lake City, Ethan Pugh of Paragould, and Drew Warren of Manila, basses.

Arkansas State University Concert Choir members are: Katie Fischer of Jacksonville, Anna Ganong, Becky Morrison, and Kari Rickman of Jonesboro, Ginah Smith of White Hall, Jessica Baldwin of Paragould, Katie Matney of Trumann, Erin Reagan of Munford, Tenn., and Janet Tullos of Cabot, first sopranos; Renee Smith of Houston, Texas, Beth Dial of Malvern, Melissa Jackson of Pine Bluff, Hannah McQuay of Jonesboro, and Kate Smith of Wynne, second sopranos; Katherine Richards of Osceola, Suemone Christian of Bryant, Jordan Farris and Jana Waters of Jonesboro, Paige Harris of Benton, Madison Kuebler of Searcy, and Michele Shotwell of Manila, first altos; Susan Hulett of Mountain Home, Megan Bishop and Katie Cole of Paragould, Michelle Byrd of Pine Bluff, Elizabeth Rountree of Hot Springs, and Lauren Turpin of Trumann, second altos; Blake Watters of Mountain View, Wesley Hooper of Harrisburg, Courtney Hostler and Kyle Plunkett of Pine Bluff, Cody Steele of Paragould, and John Yerger and Craig McAlister of Jonesboro, first tenors; Jeremy Carter of Paragould, Nick Robbins of Manila, Chris Orr and Willie Sullivan of Jonesboro, and Chris VanBrook of Hoxie, second tenors; Ray Fromme of Highland, Ill.,  Romero Harper of Wynne, Jacob Kelley of Lake City, and Kale McDaniel and Taylor Woodruff of Jonesboro, baritones; and Patrick Manes and Adam Earhart of Bryant, Drew Warren of Manila, and Gabrien Brown of Newport, basses.

For more information about the concert or ASU music, contact the music office at (870) 972-2094. 
 

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