From the Sublime to the Ridiculous with University Singers and Humboldt Chorale

Humboldt State University Singers and the Humboldt Chorale go from the sublime to the ridiculous with a few stops in between, on Sunday evening May 6 at Fulkerson Recital Hall.

The University Singers, directed by Harley Muilenburg, perform the “Ave Maria” of famed 16th century composer Tomas L. de Victoria, and the gospel song, “Lord I Know I Been Changed.” They turn to contemporary tunes including “Requiem for the Masses” by popular music composer Terry Kirkman, and “Song of Songs” by contemporary English composer Patrick Hawes.

   The ridiculous resonates with “Jabberwocky,” a choral interpretation of the Lewis Carroll poem by Sam Pottle, composer of the Muppets theme song. In between the Singers reprise the Chen Yi composition “Capriccio” from the recent New Horizons Festival. “The musical material and imagery was inspired by a folk tune that I heard on a bagpipe from the lawn outside the Nelson Gallery in Kansas City,” Chen Yi said, “ and by the wild singing sounds of Asian folk choral music.”

The Humboldt Chorale, comprised of community singers and directed by Carol Ryder, performs American Mass by Ron Kean that combines traditional American hymns and spirituals with traditional choral liturgy. The Chorale also visits the ridiculous with “Animal Crackers” by Eric Whitacre, based on the whimsical poetry of Ogden Nash.

The Humboldt State University Singers and Humboldt Chorale perform on Sunday May 6 at 8 p.m. in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus in Arcata. Tickets are $7/3, free to HSU students from the HSU Box Office (826-3928) or at the door. The Singers are directed by Harley Muilenburg, the Chorale by Carol Ryder. Produced by the HSU Music Department.

Media: Arcata Eye, Humboldt State Now.

University Singers 2012