Indiana State University Newsroom

The Indiana State University School of Music will present a Fall Choral Showcase Concert 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at in the University Hall Theater.

The concert will feature three Indiana State choral ensembles. The concert choir, under the direction of Scott Buchanan, will perform a diverse program of repertoire that is both sacred and secular in nature. Composers include Felix Mendelssohn, Frank Ticheli, Andrea Ramsey, Derek Bermel, Ola Gjeilo and Eric Whitacre. Angela Scherer will serve as the accompanist.

"This is going to be an exciting program, from the standpoint of diversity," Buchanan said. "This may be the finest choir I have ever had here at Indiana State. Eric Whitacre's piece, ‘Little Man in a Hurry,' might be the most challenging and difficult piece I have ever programmed. The complex rhythmic passages make it seem like an instrumental piece ... with text. However, the students have truly enjoyed working on it. Combined with the rest of the music in their program, it should make for an exciting concert. The group is also collaborating with the Women's Choir on the finale, which will be a rousing arrangement of the spiritual, ‘Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit,' by Allen Keopke."

In addition to the finale, the women's choir will also offer a diverse program including works by Mendelssohn, Giovanni Gastoldi, David Maddux, Allan Petker and a traditional Appalachian arrangement by Shawn Kirchner. Colleen Davis will conduct, and Andrea Marlowe will serve as the accompanist.

The Sycamore Singers will open the concert with vocal jazz arrangements of by some of today's better-known arrangers.

"Vocal jazz is becoming a very popular genre in today's choral world," Buchanan said. "We have jazz arrangements of a church hymn ("All Creatures of Our God and King"), a Beatles tune ("Penny Lane"), and old favorites by the Gershwins ("Love is Here to Stay" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It") and Hoagie Carmichael ("The Nearness of You"). It is amazing what these arrangers are doing to spice up familiar songs, seemingly from any musical style."

Buchanan also conducts the Sycamore Singers, and Angela Scherer is their accompanist.

The concert is free and open to the public. The University Hall Theater is located in the Bayh College of Education building. For more information, call 812-237-4590.