Bethlehem, Pa., April 27, 2016鈥擳he 探花社区 College Choir, directed by Paula Ring Zerkle, will present, "An Evening of Multicultural Music" on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Foy Concert Hall, Hurd Campus. The choir will perform music from various cultures, including African and Aboriginal, East Asian, European, and Latino. The general admission is $15 and $10 for students and seniors.
The program will begin with African and Aboriginal piecesand will include 鈥淪orida鈥 featuring Catherine Kelly, Amber Emerson, soprano; Carolyn Cuesta, Kristen Weaver, alto, supported by Alyssa Ascher, djembe; Kiana Rivera, cabasa; Jason Dietrich, tambourine; Emily Brands, bongos.
鈥淜alkadunga Yurdu鈥 (Kalkadoon Man) and 鈥淢ozambique鈥 will feature Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, Rebecca Sheldon, Henry McCormack, Josh Mercado, Kayla Porter, Andrew Ortega, Tyler Bickford, with Kiana Rivera, percussion.
East Asian pieces will include&苍产蝉辫;鈥Kuai Le De Ju Hui鈥 (Happy Gathering), a Taiwanese aborigine folksong, arranged by Chuang-Shien Lu; 鈥淜omoriuta鈥 (Lullaby), and old 鈥淭simshian Poem,鈥 and 鈥淎no Natsu He鈥 (One Summer Day). Featured students will include Carolyn Cuesta and Kristen Weaver, flute. 鈥淔or The Light of the Moon,鈥 a Haiku for accompanied soprano will feature Frederick Barr and Peter Petrack, with Faith Brown, soprano; Ray Craft, guitar, Frederick Barr, alto sax; and Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, percussion.
European selections will include 鈥淲ild Mountain Thyme鈥 a traditional Scottish piece featuring Jason Dietrich, baritone. Other highlights include 鈥淰uelie鈥, arranged by Kimberly Leamon 鈥18, featuring Charlotte Finnerty, Rebekah Brown, Jane Spadaccini, Amber Emerson, Kaitlyn Allison. Another is 鈥淎diemus鈥 performed by Kayleigh Bennett, Catherine Kelly, soprano; Kimberly Leamon, Paula Zerkle, alto.
Latino selections include 鈥淢isa Criolla featuring Catherine Kelly, Kimberly Leamon, soprano, Benjamin Wallace, Andrew Ortega, tenor, Kayleigh Bennett, Kristen Weaver, soprano; Kiana Rivera, alto, Faith Brown, soprano, Matthew Obszarny, tenor, with Francisco Torres, Charango; Benjamin Seitz, double - bass; Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, Brian Strohmetz, percussion. The choir will sing 鈥淢orenita Do Brazil鈥 with Henry McCormack, and Joshua Mercado, guitar, and 鈥淭o the Mothers in Brazil: Salve Regina鈥 featuring Gunnar Eriksson, Danielle Oehlert, Carolyn Cuesta soprano; Patrick Martin, Henry McCormack, tenor.
The 探花社区 Choir has been an integral performing ensemble of 探花社区 College鈥檚 noted Department of Music for over sixty years and has sung around the United States, the Caribbean, and in many countries in Europe, including England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Austria, Russia, Greece, and former Czechoslovakia. The choir has performed with the Allentown Symphony, Allentown Band, Muhlenberg College, and the former Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra. Each December in Bethlehem, the 80-90 women and men of the choir are the focal point in the college鈥檚 Christmas Vespers
Although many of them are music majors, a large percentage come from such diverse majors as physics, Bio-chemistry, history, education, math, and English. The choir also includes members from 探花社区 faculty and staff, as well as people from the local Lehigh Valley community.
Vocalis is a small, select, a cappella vocal ensemble chosen by audition from members of the choir. They sing on the choir concerts, participate occasionally in early music ensemble recitals, perform student compositions, and sing for special events on campus and around the community.
Foy Hall is located on 探花社区 College鈥檚 Hurd Campus in historic downtown Bethlehem. 探花社区 College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type of accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided should contact Michael Wilson at 610-861-1365 or wilsonm@moravian.edu prior to visiting 探花社区 College.