By Mackenzie Langham | The Howard Payne School of Music and Fine Arts is eager to pull students in to get them involved in the hours of hard work and effort consistently put in behind the walls of the Davidson Music Complex. One way for people to get involved is through the upcoming choir concerts.
Assistant Professor of Music Director of Choral Activities Dr. Christopher Rosborough said that the choir concert Evensong will be premiering a song written and conducted by Joseph Dunlap.
“The piece is called ‘Nunc Dimitis.’ We are also singing an anthem and the word anthem comes from an English choral tradition. I chose the piece ‘Wounds’ because we are in the season of lent,” said Rosborough.
Rosborough said that the spring program is a combined concert with university singers and concert choir.
“This is a cool concert that spring boarded off of a German piece meaning ‘love song waltzes,’ Liebeslieder Waltzer, for piano four hands—two players and one piano. The program is called Waltz for Four Hands and the two accompaniments will be Dean Kiensly, the normal accompanist for university singers, and Diane Deathridge,” added Rosborough.
Amanda Moore, a junior Veda RA elementary education major from Euless, said she is most excited to be performing “Nunc Dimitis” at the Evensong concert.
“This piece was composed by one of our own HPU Professors, Joseph Dunlap in 2019 and I instantly fell in love with the piece when it was first handed to us. This is the choir’s first opportunity to finally perform the piece and we’ve been working so hard to perfect it for almost two years so it’s definitely something I’m looking forward to,” said Moore.
Evensong allows viewers to taste the passion and desire behind the music being performed. There is more to concert choir and music than the performances, and some would say rehearsing the music is therapeutic.
“Choir has always been a place where I can connect with the world around me and with the Lord through music. This past semester, I was not able to participate in Concert Choir because of conflicting courses and I could feel this hole in my life where I knew singing in a choir was supposed to be,” said Moore.
Rosborough talked about how the School of Music and Fine Arts will be putting on a virtual show and tell on April 8, from 6-8:30 p.m.
“It will be in the music building and will be streamed to the campus body. Students can perform, sing, play a kazoo, monologues, and poetry—the sky’s the limit! What do you want to show and tell us about?” added Rosborough.
Rosborough said the top prize will be $100, and the school will be reaching out to local community members to sponsor it.
“There will be door prizes the whole time! It’s not Spring Sing, but we are allowing this opportunity to be that platform. Inviting the frats and sororities to give a commercial talking about what their Greek life is about,” said Rosborough.