Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University's Masterworks Chorale, under the direction of Scott Buchanan, will present its spring concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 15 in Tilson Auditorium.

The 70-voice ensemble is comprised of Indiana State students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members from the Wabash Valley. The group will perform works by two highly acclaimed composers.

Fern Hill is a work composed by John Corigliano based on the poem by Dylan Thomas. Corigliano has been awarded an Academy Award, three Grammy Awards, and the Pulitzer Prize for his compositions. Soprano Kara Claybrook will be the featured soloist for the piece.

"Fern Hill is a very difficult work to perform," says Buchanan. "The piece contains some rather complex rhythms and harmonies which the composer utilizes to highlight the poetic verse of Dylan Thomas."

Corigliano's work is a stark contrast to the second piece on the concert. Sunrise Mass, was composed by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo, a rising star in the realm of choral music composition. Though based on ancient liturgical texts, the piece is set in four movements with secular titles.

"There are some very ethereal harmonies in this mass, certainly unlike the more traditional sounds you would hear in many of the earlier musical settings of the mass," Buchanan said. "It is interesting that it is composed only for voices and strings, not woodwinds, brass, or percussion. I think that adds a bit of uniqueness to the overall sound of the work."

"However, there are also beautiful melodic lines that people will walk away humming, especially in the final movement. This is an exciting pairing of compositions," he added.

"It's been a while since I conducted this ensemble and I wanted to find music that our singers would enjoy learning and that our audience would enjoy hearing," Buchanan said. "This will be an outstanding concert."

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students (K-12). ISU students will be admitted free with a valid student ID. Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, contact the ISU School of Music at 812-237-2771 or the Choral Office at 812-237-4590.

Contact: Scott Buchanan, Director of Choral Activities, School of Music, 812-237-4590

Writer: Paula Meyer, Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu