Singing everything but the blues

    This past Saturday night, Oct. 27,  began with the typical hustle and bustle of activity preceding any major recital.             Performers could be seen rushing around fixing the bows on each other’s dresses until they were just right.
    Families and friends strategically placed themselves in the perfect spot so that the zoom on their cameras captured the upcoming memories flawlessly. 
    All of this was leading up to 7:30 p.m. on the dot when the ladies-in-black of the GCSU Women’s Ensemble filed into place, ready, along with the Max Noah Singers, to give the audience a night to remember. 
    The Department of Music and Theater’s presentation of Choral Impressions opened to a moderately packed audience of mostly parents and community at the First Baptist Church on Liberty Street.  There was a very low student turnout at the recital during which both the Women’s Ensemble and Max Noah Singers performed. 
    Students might want to reconsider their notion of staying at home when these two groups hit the stage because the singers definitely know how to put on a show. 
    Unique with this performance was the addition of screen projections located on either side of the performers that were generously provided by the Art Department.
    They had the right idea but the projections were poorly executed. They seemed to have very loose connections with the music and the flow was off. They added very little to the performance except for an added mystery element, possibly being: what’s the point?
    Naturally, some audience members appreciated the projections. Tarah Gibbs, a junior in the University Chorus Class enjoyed the addition. 
    “I like the visual aids,” she said. “Makes the music seem more mystic.”     The real reason audience members were entertained was because of the beautiful harmonies the night had to offer.
    Some moments in the show were so light and pleasant that a faint smile would emerge across one’s face.
    Other moments offered solemn tones so chilling a shudder could creep up and shake the bones. 
    As far as instrumental styling for the evening, some numbers were accompanied with the sounds of violins, harp, keyboard, organ or piano.      When the Max Noah Singers hit the stage following the Women’s Ensemble, the addition of a few male voices really made an impact. Each note, with its striking projection, hinted at the air of perfection the performers have.
    A few songs during the evening showcased soloists. Each soloist took their chance to blow away the audience and succeeded with perfectly adept precision. 
    Booming voices combined with excellent conducting and the addition of a few instruments made Choral Impressions a complete success.
    Those in attendance surely left the show excited about the upcoming December shows from The Department of Music and Theatre. Their performance schedule can be seen at choral.gcsu.edu.   

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 1 2007. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry