The Cleveland State Music Department will present their fall concert on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. in the George R. Johnson Cultural Heritage Center. Both the Chamber Choir and Vocal Rhapsody will be performing.
The concert will feature a variety of music from traditional Christmas songs and carols to a cappella Doo-Wop, spirituals and novelty songs.
According to Karen Dale, associate professor of Music, “This year’s concert is going to be bittersweet because it is Dr. Hite’s last one before he retires. He has always been a long-time supporter of ours and Vocal Rhapsody was actually his idea. He had heard Innovation Ensemble that I directed, from Jackson State at a TBR conference and when I came to Cleveland State, he wanted us to have an ensemble that would go out into the community and perform a variety of musical styles, so we began Vocal Rhapsody in the spring of 2008. The group has performed for many area events, as well as campus functions, and even toured Austria in the summer of 2012. Dr. Hite has attended every concert and has always been such a good sport—he was even the Grinch for a solo with Chris Land and did the can-can with Kylie Sherlin on Santa Baby! We will definitely miss seeing him in the audience during our performances.”
Admission to the fall concert is free, but donations will be accepted. Vocal Rhapsody is an auditioned ensemble of 14 students, faculty members and even a retired CSCC administrator. The Chamber Choir is open to all students, and many are first-time choral singers.