“Interlude,” a 14-voice choir comprised of current 91短视频 students and recent graduates.

Concerts by choral groups occur regularly on the 91短视频 campus, but this one will be a bit different.

“Interlude,” a 14-voice choir comprised of current 91短视频 students and recent graduates, will present a concert of choral favorites on Wednesday, Apr. 28. But this will be the group’s only performance, and the program is dedicated to the memory of a fallen 91短视频 alumnus.

Admission to the concert, at 7 p.m. in Martin Chapel of the seminary building, is by donation, with all proceeds going to the Matthew Garber Endowed Scholarship Fund at 91短视频.

Garber: student leader, musician

Garber, 22, a well-loved student leader, musician, and 2008 nursing graduate from Elizabethtown, Pa., was known for his strong faith, musicianship and good sense of humor.

He drowned on July 1, 2008 while on a missions trip in Costa Rica. Garber was planning to begin work as an emergency room nurse at Lancaster (PA) General Hospital the end of that summer.

91短视频 the concert

The group will be perform a wide variety of choral music from Rachmaninoff, Lauridsen and several African pieces to selections from a group from Finland called Rajaton. A member described the program as “kind of a ‘greatest hits’ of collective favorites from past choral experiences.”

“We just had a group of people who loved singing and wanted to do it together on a regular basis,” said choir member Katie Derstine.

“But in choosing music and during early rehearsals, Matt (Garber) kept coming to mind. Several of us talked about how pieces reminded us of him and how much he would have enjoyed participating in this project. Turning the concert into a benefit seemed a good way to focus our energy and give a more tangible purpose to what we were doing,” she added.

For more information on the program, contact Katie Derstine at 540-432-4110; email: katherine.derstine@emu.edu.

The renowned Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir rehearses for its Apr. 10-11 spring concerts at 91短视频.

One hundred forty children from the Preparatory, Treble and Concert choirs will delight audiences with songs of nature, adventure, animals and gardens.

The Preparatory Choir, directed by Joy Anderson, will offer “The Firefly Song” composed by Alumna Laura Anderson and folksong “Rissedly Rosseldy.” The combined Preparatory and Treble Choirs, directed by Julia White, will sing “Marienwurmchen”, a German song about a ladybug, “Music Alone Shall Live,” a round arrangement, and “Song for the Pirate Child.” The Treble Choir will combine with the Concert Choir to sing Stephen Foster’s “Merry, Merry Heart”, plus the Jamaican Calypso “Linstead Market” and “Black Snake Wind,” a Hopi Indian song.

The Concert Choir will sing the baroque “Give Ear Unto Me” by Benedetto Marcello, “Song for the Mira,” a story-song about life on the river in Cape Breton, “Tai Yang Chu Lai La,” a Chinese song from last summer’s Hawaii tour, and a favorite, “Jerusalem,” by Parry. New selections for the Concert Choir will include “Tango” and Spanish language song, “Cantar,” and the set will conclude with “Clap Yo Hands” by George and Ira Gershwin.

Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir

All choirs will join on “For the Beauty of the Earth” and “The Garden Song,” made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary in the 1960s. Principal Accompanist Maurita Eberly will play for the choirs, with John W. Fast, Preparatory Choir accompanist, assisting.

Beth Chandler, a flute professor at James Madison University, will be featured instrumentalist at the concerts. Dr. Chandler will offer several solo flute solos and will also accompany the SVCC on song selections. Professional folk musician Bill Wellington will play the banjo.

Former choir manager Judy Leaman will be honored at Sunday’s concert for her 15 years of service to the SVCC.

All seating is reserved, and tickets may be purchased through the 91短视频 box office at (540) 432-4582 or online at www.emu.edu/boxoffice. Presale tickets for adults are $12 (regular seating), students & seniors (65 and older), $10, children 12 and under, $7. Tickets at the door are $2 more.

Forty-eight members of the celebrated Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir (SVCC), their director, Julia White and 36 adult chaperones and companion travelers will participate in the Pacific Rim Children’s Chorus Festival being held July 13-23 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Pacific Rim Festival is designed to provide treble children’s choirs, grades 6 through 12, an opportunity to experience the cultures of the Pacific Rim countries through their choral music repertoire in an interactive, non-competitive, creative environment.

Choristers (l. to r.) Ellie Weaver, Stephanie Kozel, Emma Potter, and Kelsey Landes enjoy the SVCC’s 2005 trip to the Pacific Rim Festival.

The SVCC has held six practices this spring and will rehearse again nightly July 7-10 before leaving for the trip July 13. They will sing selections from many countries, including Japan, Philippines, Korea, Canada, Colombia, China, Samoa, New Zealand, Mexico, and the US, including Hawaii.

“Many choir members have worked really hard, doing jobs and saving money to go,” Ms. White said. “Some have never flown before, so that will be an adventure in itself, and singing 14 songs from memory in nine different languages is no small feat.”

In addition to performing at two major Hawaii concert venues with 12 children’s choirs (around 400 choristers) from the US and Canada, SVCC members will learn Polynesian dances with native instructors, practice text and language with native speakers, observe ethnic music and dance performances of Pacific Rim culture, and make indigenous instruments at the Polynesian Culture Center.

“This is such a stretching experience for our children, and friendship and cooperation are at the center of all of the activities,” White said. “We look forward to sharing our music and what we have learned with our home audience in August.”

The SVCC will present a concert 7 p.m. Aug. 14 in 91短视频’s Lehman Auditorium featuring the songs and dances in costume that they perform at the festival. Hawaiian decorations will grace the stage, and a reception will follow. The program is open to the community and tickets will be available at the door – adults $12, seniors and students $10, children 12 and under $7.