Show Choirs Shine in Showcase Jessica Harrison Arts Editor The Grand Theatre was filled with sounds of praise last Thursday as the Concert Choir Chamber Singers and South City Jazz performed a choral showcase to a small but enthusiastic u ti tic crowd wd The showcase conducted by professor professor pro pro- professor fessor Lyle Archibald Archibal highlighted a diverse selection of choral pieces that ranged from masterworks to spirituals The Concert Choir opened the program with three anthems of praise The anthems of music God and love allowed the choir to show off their tonality and range In the anthem to God O 0 Vos each section section section sec sec- sec sec- tion blended perfectly sounding as one voice The South City Jazz recently home from touring Shanghai and Beijing China followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed the choir Comprised of 13 singers and 3 musicians South City Jazz performed performed performed per per- formed an upbeat selection with a Latin flair These selections allowed the singers to show off individual personalities dancing dancing dancing ing and harmonizing throughout the set The Chamber Singers performed next offering a variety of North American folk songs featuring works from the United States and Canada The performance of O 0 Susannah garnered lots of laughs and applause as the male Chamber Singers assumed the roles of cowboys Wearing bandanas belt buckles and cowboy hats the singers hammed it up for the audience crooning the familiar tune while executing choreography reminiscent of Oklahoma and Seven Brides rides For Seven Brothers uTh concluded as s the Chamber Concert Choir performed a tribute to Moses Hogan A composer and arranger of American spirituals Hogan died unexpectedly last February choirs had worked several times with Hogan culminating in 2001 with a performance performance performance mance under his direction at the Tabernacle on Temple Square It has been said that a song is a prayer unto heaven Hogan must have known this as he composed the inspiring Hear My Prayer The Chamber Singers humbly offered this work using dynamics to show thought and emotion ending with a breath of amen that left a hush over the audience Other performances of note include the Chamber Singers' Singers rendition of Hogans Hogan's The Battle of Jericho and Ezekiel Saw the Wheel Bass Lee and Soprano Heather Madsen also turned in strong solo performances |