Choir students perform in spring semester showcase

By: Heidi Staggs and Andrew House

The ISU Department of Music presented the Spring Choral Showcase Friday at Centenary United Methodist Church.

"We've been working on the majority of pieces since first semester started," said Toni Carroll, a freshman vocal performance major and member of the Concert Choir. "It didn't take us very long to learn our notes and rhythms, but tweaking everything took quite awhile."

The showcase featured performances by the ISU Concert Choir, Women's Chorale and the Sycamore Singers.

The Concert Choir just completed a tour in which they visited and performed at schools across the state. The choir used those performances to tweak and work out any kinks said conductor Scott Buchanan.

Carroll said that every class prior to the concert involved pitch practices and rehearsals. Run-throughs for the musical pieces were necessary to ensure that the sound was perfect.

"The church fit into the concert very well," Carroll said. "The space is grand and beautiful with just enough acoustics for our sound."

The concert started with a series of soulful and sacred songs by the Concert Choir and then the Women's Chorale.

The Sycamore Singers followed with an from an upbeat swing piece to a gospel jazz number. They also performed a moving rendition of Sting's "Fields of Gold."

Kelly Ferguson, a freshman music education major who has played the clarinet for 11 years, gave an impressive performance as an accompanist to the Sycamore Singers "In Remembrance" by Jeffery L. Ames.

Ferguson was called in to perform just two weeks before the concert and rehearsed on her own time.

"It was an amazing concert and very enlightening," said Ferguson. "I felt that the audience was very engaged."

eclectic mix of styles ranging