Music fills the air this spring
Seven music ensembles from Concordia gave concerts at the end of the spring semester.
The Concordia Handbell Choir and Handbell Choir II performed Sunday, April 29. Under the direction of conductor Jessica Kite, each 14-member choir performed arrangements featuring up to five octaves of hand bells as well as hand chimes and additional percussion.
The Concordia Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorale joined forces for a concert themed “Glory to the Great I AM” on Sunday, April 22, at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward. Each choir sang five songs and then combined for three additional numbers. Together, the choirs sang “Festival Sanctus” by John Leavitt, “Abide With Me” by Moses Hogan and “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal” by Alice Parker. The audience was also invited to sing hymns with the choirs.
Concordia’s University Chamber Orchestra, directed by Dr. Christopher Nichols, gave its last concert of the season on Wednesday, April 25. The Chamber Orchestra was joined by the string orchestra from the Concordia Lutheran Schools in Omaha, directed by Mary Amador. Each ensemble performed selections individually, as well as two selections by the combined orchestras to close the concert.
The university chamber orchestra performed the overture from Mozart’s opera “Der Schauspieldirektor” (The Impresario) and selections from Bach’s “Orchestral Suite in B minor.” The Concordia Omaha String Orchestra performed Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”, a rondo by Henry Purcell, and the rondo finale from Mozart’s “String Quartet, K. 80.” The two orchestras joined to perform the waltz from “Dornröschen” (Sleeping Beauty) by Tchaikovsky and a medley from Klaus Badelt’s soundtrack to "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."
“Both are recognizable from Disney soundtracks andare great fun for the audience and orchestra alike,” said Nichols.
To finish the semester, Concordia’s Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz Choir came together for the spring JazzFest on April 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Weller Hall auditorium. Some selections included “Skylark” by Hoagy Carmichael, a Larry Stanton arrangement of the Beatles’ hit “Michelle” and “Birdland” by Manhattan Transfer.
