鈥淚 am trying to be a musician playing the music I care about,鈥� said Bontrager in an interview with an 91短视频 reporter.

For him that passion is tri-faceted, where he plays: (1) early music, encompassing the medieval and Renaissance time periods; (2) 鈥渆xperimental鈥� or 鈥渇ree improvisational鈥� music; and (3) traditional music, which he explains as global music from oral traditions.

As a 2007 , Bontrager said he was not pigeonholed into a genre or required to only play a particular repertoire. In 2008, while enrolled in a master鈥檚 program in modern cello at the University of Maryland, Bontrager composed a piece for choir and instrumental ensemble as a , who had died while on a mission trip in Costa Rica.

鈥淚 started to play a lot more contemporary music [at Maryland] 鈥� new music 鈥� modern classical stuff,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also started to play the viola da gamba 鈥� that is how I started to get interested in playing early music.鈥�

Like the cello, the viola da gamba is a bowed and stringed instrument, but it differs from a cello in that it has six rather than four strings and c-shaped holes rather than the typical f-shaped hole found on instruments in the violin family. The viola da gamba 鈥� also known as a viol 鈥� was most popular during the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

When Bontrager finished his master鈥檚 he moved to New Haven, Conn., where he 鈥渟tarted to figure out what I wanted to do musically.鈥�

There he ran across a group of people who were playing experimental music. 鈥淚t is basically completely freely improvised or music that is using improvised elements combined with notated music,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭here are various kinds of improvised music and all of them have a language of their own.鈥�

He began to play experimental music concerts in Connecticut with a trio called Broadcloth. One of the things he likes about experimental music is that it has no boundaries.

There are certainly regional and national styles that influence how a group of musicians play together, but 鈥渨hat makes it good or bad is totally up to the listener,鈥� he said. 鈥淧eople are listening and reacting and creating something together. It鈥檚 about the music developing in an organic way.鈥�

Hungry to spend time in another country and explore the European experimental scene, Bontrager found a master鈥檚 program in early music at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen, Germany. He was also drawn to studying early music in one of the European countries that produced so many well-known composers.

鈥淧eople who are interested in these new sounds are often the same people who are interested in Renaissance music,鈥� Bontrager explained. 鈥淭hat may be because there are less stringent rules musically 鈥� that general idea of freedom in music is something that bridges those two worlds.鈥�

He will be finishing his second master’s degree in the spring of 2014 but won鈥檛 necessarily return to the United States just yet. Next will be 鈥渁 grand experiment to see if I can make a career out of what I like to do.鈥�

On his website (), Bontrager speaks of the pleasure of fostering love of music, as he did when he was music director at an Episcopal church near New Haven: 鈥淲orking with the choir was fantastic, but the most compelling moments involved getting a mass of people who firmly believed they couldn鈥檛 participate in music to open their mouths and sing together, a cappella. . . .

鈥淸M]usic makes things happen in the doing, listening, and creating that has powerful and necessary social implications for our larger lives.鈥�

The 34-voice choir, directed by Dr. Kenneth Nafziger, professor of music, will sing music from their spring break tour through the Midwest along with “Misa Criolla” a setting of the mass based on Latin American rhythms and instruments by Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez. The program will include a first performance of the revised version of “Songs for the Journey” by the New England composer Kevin Siegfried for choir and small orchestra.

“Songs for the Journey” will be performed in memory of Matthew Garber, 22, a much-loved student leader, musician and 2008 nursing graduate from Elizabethtown, Pa. He was a significant part of Chamber Singers’ history and experience during his years of participation and was an inspiration to many in the choir. Matt drowned on July 1, 2008 during a summer missions trip in Costa Rica. The performance is made possible through a gift from Matt鈥檚 parents to the 91短视频 Chamber Singers.

Admission to the program is free. However, any donations received will go to the support of HARTS (Harrisonburg & Rockingham Thermal Shelter).聽 HARTS’ mission is “to provide a warm and safe place to sleep for people why have no other place to stay.” This happens through “engaging the community of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County in partnership to provide shelter, compassionate support and access to services for homeless people.”

A basket for contributions will be located at the doors at the close of the program. Checks can be made out to HARTS.

“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.

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The 91短视频 department will present George Frideric Handel’s magnificent oratorio, “The Messiah,” 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in Lehman Auditorium at 91短视频.

participating include the 91短视频 Chamber Singers, the University Chorale, and the University Orchestra, conducted by , professor of music.

Soloists are 91短视频 students Bethany Blouse, soprano; Annie Johnson, soprano; Ariel Ressler, alto; Matthew Garber, tenor; Steven Horst, tenor; Michael Dezort, bass; 91短视频 graduates Katie Derstine, alto; Matthew Hunsberger, bass; and guest Joel Ross, countertenor.

Admission is a $10 suggested donation, with proceeds to be split between the 91短视频 Scholarship Fund and Mennonite Disaster Service for hurricane relief efforts in the Gulf region.

Accompanists are John W. Fast, organ; Julianne Burkholder, Kara Glick, Andrew Dutcher and Eric Guttormson, strings; and Annie Johnson, soprano; Matthew Garber, tenor; and Michael Dezort, baritone.

The second half of the concert will include Faure’s “Cantique” and works for smaller group ensembles, some with piano and guitar accompaniment.

Mrs. Hostetter earned a B.A. in music education from 91短视频 and a M.M. in choral conducting from James Madison University. She has worked as a music instructor in various educational settings for the past 15 years.

In addition to directing the for the 2004-05 school year while Anne Gross is on sabbatical, Hostetter also serves as music director at Harrisonburg Mennonite Church and as music educator at Mountain View Elementary School in Rockingham County.

Admission is free, but donations are welcomed to support the 91短视频 ‘s music scholarship fund.