The American University Chamber Singers performed its final concert of the year this past weekend at the Abramson Family Recital Hall in the Katzen Arts Center.
The show, titled "Shakespeare in Song: Choral Settings of the Bard," was supposed to feature the singers performing pieces from Shakespearean plays that were set in different vocal styles by contemporary composers. However, the show only partially fulfilled its moniker. American University Conductor and Director of Choral Activities Dan Abraham explained the discrepancy.
"I must apologize because only half of the program is now the choral settings of the bard," he said from the stage.
"Since this group received the invitation to go sing at the Kennedy Center, we didn't have time to prepare the full program of Shakespearean settings."
According to the program notes, the AU Chamber Singers were one of two ensembles chosen by audition to participate as showcase choirs in the inaugural Washington D.C. Choral Festival. The choir will perform on Monday, May 21, at 7 p.m. in the Concert Hall at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Despite the change in program, the chorus sang modern interpretations of "Orpheus with his Lute" from "Henry VIII," "Come Away" from "Twelfth Night," and "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day" from Sonnet 18. Abraham believed these were three lovely modern settings of Shakespeare's text.
"It is really amazing what choral writing and composition is going on in Scandinavia right now," he said in reference to Swede Nils Lindberg, who arranged the music for the sonnet.
After a short respite from Shakespeare, where the chorus sang two contrasting compositions by Christina Rossetti, the choir ended a rousing first half with three numbers by Matthew Harris. One notable Harris madrigal, "Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind," from "As You Like It," delighted and impressed members of the audience.
"They are tackling very difficult pieces," audience member and American University music professor Fernando Benadon said. "But they have the chops to do it."
"I think their voices do a good job of surrounding you and taking you to some other place," Nick Reksten, a senior in the School of International Service, said.
According to Abraham, the 19 singers had to take 12 parts during "Blow, Blow," which meant that many singers were forced to sing solo during the performance.
After a brief intermission, the choir sang some tunes from previous concerts including the odd, but interesting "Little Birds," by Eric Whitacre. Abraham described Whitacre as the hottest thing going on in choral music today and someone who does very interesting things with voice. In "Little Birds," however, it was dissonant whistling by chorus members and a climatic rustling of paper that was more memorable.
The second half also brought out a more playful side of the chamber singers. In the selection "With a Poet's Eye," the choir sang about being poets fond of bananas, bananas of a poet, and all manner of wordplay in between.
"I just love the poetry," Abraham said.
Another amusing piece was "Jing-ga-lye-ya" which one member of the chamber choir enjoyed singing immensely.
"Jing is my favorite song," chamber singer and senior in the School of International Service Matthew Parin said.
"I love it because the whole thing is in gibberish."
Despite the fun, this night was not without a few small missteps. Early in the performance Abraham had to restart one song and later during a song by Ysaye Barnwell, "Wanting Memories," Abraham had to begin three separate times in order to prompt some of his male singers who were not beginning on the correct note.
These small slipups were not enough to disengage the audience from the performance. The religiously-inspired penultimate number "My God is a Rock" elicited a great reaction from the crowd. After the song, the audience cheered loudly even though the set was not over and some in the back of the crowd hollered for more.
When asked about his reaction to the performance Benadon said, "Those are moments as an audience member I relish. There are times when they are really able to nail it, and they did"
