Published Thursday, February 15th, 2024
The 7:30 p.m. performance will be in Ley Theatre, featuring four WSC choirs. It is free and open to the public.
Wayne State College’s An Evening of Choirs presents “Night Becomes Day,” a concert of hope, joy, and thanks at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, in Ley Theatre, located on the second floor of the Brandenburg Building. The concert is free and open to the public, and it will also be livestreamed.
To view the livestream, go to www.wsc.edu/watch-live. The program will be accessible by selecting the event from the Music Events list at www.wsc.edu/music.
Dr. Matthew Armstrong, director of choral activities at Wayne State, will conduct the concert, with Shelly Armstrong serving as collaborative pianist. The concert includes performances by the Wayne State Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Lyrica, and Fortis. Student directors include Emmett White, Neola, Iowa; Christopher Woerdemann, Wayne; Hannah Essink, Beatrice; and Collin Price, Oakland, Iowa.
“Light emerging from darkness is a universal theme of poetry and song,” explains Dr. Armstrong. “The concert embraces this concept with the theme, ‘Night Becomes Day,’ lifted from the song ‘Heartland’ by Gary Fry.
“The Concert Choir performs for the first time with the new Wenger soundshell donated by David Rastede of Allen. To honor his generosity, we’re dedicating ‘Heartland’ to Rastede. The song has an Americana flavor similar to Aaron Copland’s music, combined with an embellished piano part recognizing the composer’s admiration of pop artist Bruce Hornsby. The lyrics capture the essence of adventure and discovery of the heartland’s beautiful landscape.”
After participating in a workshop with The King’s Singers prior to the Black & Gold Performing Arts Series concert Feb. 20, the Chamber Choir performs the a cappella group’s arrangement of “You Are the New Day.” This selection hints at the brevity of life and reminds us to treasure each day.
Lyrica presents a visual painting with words in “Afternoon on a Hill” by Mary Lynn Lightfoot. The text, by Edna St. Vincent Millay, speaks of flowers, clouds, and watching wind wave grass like an ocean.
Pure fun embodies the Fortis performance of Kohl Kitzmiller’s a cappella arrangement of “Follow Me.” A light-hearted love song, “Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 2001.
For more information, contact the Wayne State Department of Music at 402-375-7359.