Concert choir to give performance

Carlena Bressanelli, Staff writer

There will be a concert presented by The Mercyhurst University Concert Choir and Chamber Choir on Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall.

Pieces for women’s choir and men’s choir will also be featured on the program.

The concert will be directed by C. Thomas Brooks, who is in his third consecutive year as the Director of Choirs at Mercyhurst University.

Prior to this, he founded the Mercyhurst choirs in the early 1970s.

Sophomore Music Education major Paul Carem will provide piano accompaniment for many of the pieces.

The upcoming concert features a variety of sacred music and spirituals in anticipation of the quickly approaching Lenten season.

It will feature works by com-posers including William Billings, Rene Clausen, John Leavit and others, representing many different musical eras and musical styles.

When asked how he programmed the concert, Brooks said, “the pieces are a series of sacred pieces of different eras and styles.”

They all reflect the Lenten theme that he chose for this concert.

“I picked the pieces carefully,” he said.

“I picked pieces my group could do but that would also challenge them.”

Brooks hopes that the challenge will make them grow as musicians and he notes that they are improving every year.

The choir has been rehearsing this music since the start of the spring semester, and some of the music was also featured in their choir concert last fall.

Hayley Ripple, a sophomore Music Education major, said that she is incredibly excited for the concert.

Ripple is a member of the Concert Choir and the smaller, select Chamber Choir.

“The group has been working super hard and is under the great direction of Mr. Brooks,” Ripple said.

“The group is offering a lot of great pieces from many different time periods that you otherwise would not get to hear,” she added.

Jenna Rosciszewski, a senior English major and member of the Concert Choir, said that she doesn’t have a favorite piece on the program, but that she likes the variety of styles that the choir is singing.

Asked what the demographics are for the group, Roscisewski said, “The choir is made up of many different majors.”

“Non-music majors are welcome to audition, and can even audition for a non-major scholarship.”

Students of all majors are encouraged to audition for this ensemble.

For this concert, tickets are $6 for the general public and $3 for Mercyhurst students, staff and children 12 and under.

If you cannot make it to the concert on Feb, this concert will be performed again on March 13 at St. Luke’s Church at 7:30 p.m.

Admission to that concert will be free, but donations to the choir are greatly appreciated, Brooks said.