Centenary Camerata plans spring concert March 30
SHREVEPORT, LA — Music related to the Passion and resurrection of Jesus will be on the program for Centenary Camerata’s spring concert this year. The evening concert featuring primarily modern composers will be held in Anderson Auditorium at Centenary’s Hurley School of Music on Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
The music selected for the concert reflects not only themes relevant to the Lenten season but also a variety of musical styles. “Precious Lord” (arr. Nathan Carter) and “Jesus Loves Me” (arr. Michael Hassell) come from the gospel and jazz traditions, while William Billings’s “When Jesus Wept” is an a cappella piece reminiscent of the Renaissance era. Pieces by Lili Boulanger and Dan Forrest provide a further contrast with a boisterous style that requires two accompanists. The concert also includes works by Randall Thompson, Frank Ferko, and Olaf Christiansen.
“Camerata has particularly focused this semester on the refinement of phrasing, achieving intelligibility of text, and creating nuance of color – the skills more advanced, sophisticated artists employ in the professional performance arena,” says Dr. Cory Wikan, acting dean of the Hurley School of Music and director of Camerata. “Because some musical aspects of this program are less difficult than our usual repertoire, Camerata has easily mastered the technical aspects of the music, allowing the singers to focus on the important artistic details that connect them, the music, and the audience.”
Camerata, founded in 1983, is the select chamber choir from the Hurley School of Music. The composition of the group is primarily voice majors, though membership is open to all Centenary students by audition.