The Lee University Chorale will present its spring concert on Thursday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Pangle Hall, featuring an a cappella program based on the theme “Past, Present, and Future.”
Chorale is under the leadership this semester of Dr. Jonathan Rodgers, assistant professor of choral music at Lee, while its usual director, Dean of Lee’s School of Music Dr. William Green, is away on sabbatical.
“The beauty of choral music is the transmission of ideas through the combination of words and music,” said Dr. Rodgers. “This is what creates a unique experience distinct from purely instrumental performances. In light of this, we have constructed a program based on texts that look to the past, texts that remind us of present realities, but also texts that propel us forward to imagine what is to come.”
This year’s spring concert will feature works in Russian, Latin, Hebrew, and English as well as a piece by Dr. John Wykoff, associate professor of music theory & composition at Lee.
A special highlight of the concert will be performances of compositions by two Lee students. For the first time, Lee’s student chapter of the American Choral Director’s Association and Lee’s Composers’ Forum collaborated and organized a student composition contest. Lee Chorale will perform two winning pieces from this contest, “Miles to Go Before I Sleep,” by Lee junior Katie Kilgore, and “Invictus,” by Lee junior Nora Swindle.
The Lee University Chorale is an ensemble of highly motivated vocalists who are selected by audition. An emphasis is placed on the diversity and breadth of advanced, artistic choral literature. Chorale has been featured in performances with the Chattanooga Symphony, at Carnegie Hall, and throughout Europe.
“I’m excited about the program, because it will be a purely a cappella program without the aid of any instruments,” said Dr. Rodgers. “The students have worked incredibly hard, and I believe we have something special to share with our audience.”
The concert is a free, non-ticketed event, open to the public. Pangle Hall is located on the corner of Church Street and Central Avenue.
For more information about the concert and other School of Music events, call 614-8240.