Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir to Present March 11 Concert

The Fairmont State University Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir, directed by Dr. Sam Spears, will present a concert at Gateway United Methodist Church, 301 Diamond St., Fairmont, at 8 p.m. Friday, March 11. Admission to the concert is free and open to the public.

The selections for the evening concert will begin with four pieces performed by the Collegiate Singers: the contemporary “Festival Sanctus” by John Leavitt; Rossini’s “Kyrie” from “Petite Messe Solennelle”; the well-known anthem “If Ye Love Me” by English Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis; and the lyrical “Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace,” by Howard Helvey.

Next will be six pieces by the Chamber Choir: “The Word Was God” by Rosephanye Powell; Stravinsky’s “Ave Maria”; two “rather impertinent” pieces from the Renaissance-- Orland di Lasso’s chanson, “Il estoit une religieuse” and Antonio Scandello’s “Bonzorno Madonna.” These will be followed by a setting of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29:  “For Thy Sweet Love”  from “Two Love Songs,” by Robert Young; and a contemporary arrangement by Damon Dandridge of the traditional spiritual, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” featuring a baritone solo by Anthony Errigo.

The Collegiate Singers will close the evening with  three traditional Kraó Indian chants arranged by Marcos Leite--“TrÄs Cantos Nativos dos Indios Kraó”--followed by two very different songs associated with the twilight hour: Sergei Taneyev’s gentle lullaby “Serenade” and a boisterous Romanian folk dance traditionally performed at day’s end, “Chindia,” arranged by Alexandru PaÅcanu.

Finally, in honor of the FSU choirs’ upcoming tour to the nation’s capital, the evening will end with Samuel Ward’s “America the Beautiful,” arranged by Buryl Red and featuring Karrah Knotts on flute.

MusicSam SpearsCollegiate SingersChamber ChoirSchool of Fine Arts