ASU Concert Choir, University Singers, Vocal Jazz Ensemble present spring choral concert April 18

April 14, 2010 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the ASU Concert Choir, University Singers Men’s and Women’s Choirs, and the premiere of a new Vocal Jazz ensemble in a performance that will also feature the graduate conducting recital of Patrick Manes. The event will be held on Sunday, April 18, at 3 p.m. at Riceland Hall, Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Dr. The choirs will present music from several different styles in their final performance of the 2009-2010 concert season.



According to ASU director of Choral Activities, Dr. Dale Miller, this performance will introduce the Vocal Jazz Ensemble, a new group founded and directed by Kyle Chandler, assistant professor of music and coordinator of music education for ASU. The Concert Choir is accompanied by staff accompanist Brian Henkelmann, and the Men’s and Women’s Choirs are accompanied by senior vocal performance major Willie Sullivan. The concert is free of charge and the public is cordially invited to attend.

The vocal jazz ensemble, an eight-person auditioned group, will perform the well known swing standard "Fly Me to the Moon" as well as "But Beautiful" featuring various soloists with lush ensemble chords. They will also "create" a vocal improvisation song and explore asymmetrical meter within the jazz idiom in "Mo-Dot."  The singers are Kari Rickman and Christopher Orr of Jonesboro, Renee L. Smith of Houston, Texas, Jessica Baldwin, Jeremy Carter, and Jay Shepherd, all of Paragould, Susan Hulett of Mountain Home, and Kate Smith of Wynne.

The University Singers – Women’s Choir will be conducted by Dr. Miller and graduate conducting assistant Janet Tullos in selections from the 16th to the 21st centuries.  Tullos will lead the group in “O Bella Fusa” by Orlando di Lasso, and Dr. Miller will conduct “Ascribe to the Lord” by Rosephanye Powell, “When I Hear Music” by Michael G. Martin, and a women’s barbershop setting of “I Will Follow Him” arranged by Tedda Lippicott.

The University Singers – Men’s Choir will be conducted by choir president Nick Robbins, Patrick Manes, and Dr. Miller.  Robbins will lead the group in “Zion’s Walls” by Aaron Copland, and Mr. Manes will conduct the barbershop tune “Please, Mr. Columbus” arranged by Don Gray, Jack Baird, and Dave Wallace.  Dr. Miller will conduct “Good Fellows Be Merry” by J. S. Bach, and an arrangement of “Scarborough Fair” with additional accompaniment by senior guitar majors Jay Shepherd and John Yerger.

The Concert Choir will be performing “MISSA BREVIS (Salzburg Mass) for a cappella choir of mixed voices” by contemporary composer Richard Burchard and “Sanctus” from the CORONATION MASS by W. A. Mozart under the direction of Manes, in partial fulfillment of his requirements for the master of music in performance—conducting degree.  Additional pieces by the Concert Choir will include “Honey in the Rock” by Jonesboro composer and Nettleton High School choir director Jonathan Adams, conducted by Tullos, and “Scendi dal Paradiso” by Luca Marenzio, conducted by Dr. Miller.

Dr. Miller will also conduct the concert finale which features all members of the University Singers – Men’s and Women’s Choirs and the Concert Choir.  The combined chorus will perform the patriotic setting “From Sea to Shining Sea,” arranged by Maurice C. Whitney, which will be accompanied by Henkelmann on the organ and Sullivan on piano.

Members of the ASU Women’s Choir include Hannah McQuay, Becky Morrison and Anna Ganong, all of Jonesboro, and Katie Matney of Trumann, first sopranos; Suemone Chirstian of Bryant, Beth Dial of Malvern, Tamera Griffin, Dena Mueller, and Samantha Sanders, all of Jonesboro, and Melissa Jackson of Pine Bluff, second sopranos; Meagan Conley, Jordan Farris, Jana Waters, and Abbie Ganong, all of Jonesboro, Madison Kuebler of Searcy, and Savanna Traylor of Mountain Home, first altos; and Michelle Byrd of Pine Bluff, Elizabeth Rountree of Hot Springs, Sloane Simmons of Jonesboro, Lauren Turpin of Trumann, and Miranda Weaver of Rector, second altos.

Men’s Choir singers are Courtney Hostler of Pine Bluff, Jay Shepherd and Cody Steele of Paragould, Blake Watters of Mountain View, and John Yerger and Craig McAlister of Jonesboro, first tenors; Nick Robbins of Manila, Christopher Orr of Jonesboro, Steven McCloud of Chicago, and Antwon Staton of Little Rock, second tenors; Zac Adams of Piggott, Romero Harper of Wynne, Matt Morgan of Jonesboro, Toan X. Tran of Viet Nam, and Kale McDaniel of Jonesboro, baritones; and Adam Earhart and Patrick Manes of Bryant, Ethan Pugh of Paragould, Jacob Kelley of Jonesboro, and Drew Warren of Manila, basses.

The Arkansas State University Concert Choir members are: Katie Fischer of Jacksonville, Becky Morrison and Kari Rickman of Jonesboro, Jessica Baldwin of Paragould, Anna Ganong of Jonesboro, Katie Matney of Trumann, Erin Reagan of Munford, Tenn., and Janet Tullos of Cabot, first sopranos; Renee L. Smith of Houston, Elizabeth 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 Michelle 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, Sloane Simmons of Jonesboro, and Lauren Turpin of Trumann, second altos; Wesley Hooper of Harrisburg, Courtney Hostler and Kyle Plunkett of Pine Bluff, Cody Steele of Paragould, Blake Watters of Mountain View, and John Yerger and Craig McAlister of Jonesboro, first tenors; Jeremy Carter, Nick Robbins of Manila, Christopher Orr and Willie Sullivan of Jonesboro, and Chris VanBrook of Hoxie, second tenors; Ray Fromme of Highland, Ill., Romero Harper of Wynne, Fla., and Kale McDaniel and Taylor Woodruff of Jonesboro, baritones; and Gabrien Brown of Newport, Patrick Manes and Adam Earhart of Bryant, and Jacob Kelley of Jonesboro, basses.

For more information about the concert or ASU music, please feel free to contact the choir office at (870) 972-3841.

Photos: ASU Concert Choir in front of the main altar after their performance in the Vatican in Rome. Photo courtesy of the ASU Department of Music.
(L-R) Back: Katherine Richards, Jordan Ferris, Sloane Simmons; Front: Hannah McQuay, Madison Kuebler, Megan Bishop, Katie Cole, Kyle Plunkett during a performance at Chiesa di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome. Photo courtesy of the ASU Department of Music.
 

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