Administration

Communications

Culver-Stockton choirs, band ensembles spring tour scheduled
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

CANTON, Mo. -- Continuing a spring tour tradition that spans more than 60 years, the Culver-Stockton College Concert and Chamber Choirs, as well as the Wind and Jazz Ensembles will travel throughout the region Tuesday, Feb. 28 through Monday, March 5 for a series of concert performances.

The spring tour schedule includes:

Tuesday, Feb. 28
- Canton Christian Church, Canton, Mo., 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 29
- Macon Middle School, Macon, Mo., 8:24 a.m.
- National Avenue Christian Church, Springfield, Mo., 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 1
- Thomas Jefferson Ind Day School, Joplin, Mo., 10 a.m.
Saturday, March 3
- First Christian Church, Manhattan, Kans., 7 p.m.
Sunday, March 4
- First Christian Church, Manhattan, Kans., 10:30 a.m.

The spring tour will feature a program of choral music spanning four centuries. Reflecting Culver-Stockton’s commitment to new music and unconventional programming, performances will begin with the work composed most recently; Daniel Gawthrop’s “Sing a Mighty Song” (1993). The Renaissance will be well-represented, with Christopher Tye’s “Laudate nomen Domini” along with madrigals by William Byrd, John Farmer and John Bennet. Two takes on Psalm 42, one by Handel and the other by 20th century composer Herbert Howells, will give the audience an opportunity to reflect on how composers of diverse eras treat the same text. C.H.H. Parry, best known for the coronation anthem, I was glad, will be represented by a piece from the last work he wrote, the “Songs of Farewell” (1918). This piece, My soul there is a country, is a setting of a poem by Henry Vaughan, a 17th century metaphysical poet, a favorite research topic of conductor and Visiting Assistant Professor and Director of Choral Activities Elliot Jones.

The choirs will also revive music they performed last semester, including excerpts from Arthur Honegger's magnificent oratorio “King David”, an exuberant setting of “Clap your Hands” by Edwin Fissinger, a new arrangement of the folk song “Shenandoah”, and a spiritual, “My God is a Rock”, arranged by William Dawson.

The Culver-Stockton College Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Assistant Professor of Music Trent A. Hollinger, will present a cornerstone of the wind band repertoire during this year's annual tour. Audiences will have the unique opportunity to hear Gustav Holst's 1911 Second Suite for Military Band performed with his original instrumentation, a 23 member large chamber ensemble. Other works include select movements of Johan De Meij's magnum opus Symphony No. 1: The Lord of the Rings Symphony as well as the 2008 Angels in the Architecture by Frank Ticheli. A march by Charles Ives and a beautiful lyrical work by Morten Lauridsen round out the wind ensemble portion of the concert.

The C-SC Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Professor of Music Dr. Tom Polett, will present a wide variety of literature. Works will range from the upbeat zydeco style of "Another Zydobeto" to the historically significant "Fables of Faubus" by Charles Mingus to lovely ballads like "Afternoon" by Pat Methany, and to jazz standards like "Fly Me to the Moon", and vocal features "Someone to Watch over Me" and "Angel Eyes."

For more information about the spring concert tour, call (573) 288-6331 or go online at www.culver.edu.