WCSU Presents 'Images: A Spring Concert'

Western CT State University presented the annual spring concert featuring the Chamber Singers and the University Choir on Tuesday, Apr. 17. This year’s concert was entitled ‘Images’ and was performed in the beautifully modern Veronica Hagman Concert Hall in the Visual and Performing Arts Center on the Westside Campus. The music department collaborated with Prof. Catherine Vanaria, the WCSU Art Dept. and its talented students for this concert and the artwork from the “Synesthesia Project” was projected before the concert began.

The program began with a piece performed by the members of the chamber singers with their backs to the audience and in the dark. “Immortal Bach” by Knut Nystedt was an interesting way to begin. When the lights came up, the students sang “Under the Willow Tree, from ‘Vanessa’ by Samuel Barber with piano accompaniment; this was immediately followed by the beautiful harmony in “From the End of the Earth” by Alan Hovhaness. “Dos Poemas de Federico Garcia Lorca,” which translates to ‘Two Poems by (Spanish poet) Federico Garcia Lorca,’ by Corrado Margutti were performed in Spanish and a cappella. The first poem is ‘Limonar’ (“lemon grove”) from ‘El Jardin de las Morenas’(“the garden of the brunettes”) and the second ‘Berceuse’ (al espejo dormido) from “Suite de los Espejos’ (Mirror Suite.)

The Chambers half of the program continued with handbells on “Three Lenten Poems of Richard Cranshaw” by Daniel Pinkham, specifically the second section entitled “Upon the Body of Our Blessed Lord, Naked and Bloody,” immediately followed by “Come to Me, My Love” by Norman Dello Joio. The latter was adapted by the composer from ‘Goblin Market and Other Poems’ (1862.) The final piece was “Clock” from ‘Time Pieces’ written by Stephen Chatman. The Chamber Singers are under the caring direction of Kevin Jay Isaacs and Liang-Fang Chang was the beloved pianist.

With no intermission, the members of the University Choir filed in for their section of the program with their conductor Cory Ganschow and no music binders. They opened with the joyous “Exultate Deo” by Jacob Narverud a cappella. “Lay a Garland” by Robert Pearsall was followed by “Serlene’s Boat” by contemporary composer Don MacDonald, a work about a figure that controls the tides. The latter featured Julia Giattino, Cathryn Jordan, Kaylin Spaulding of Naugatuck and Christine Manalo in a small ensemble and Dr. Greg Haynes on the very cool HAPI drum. The men in the choir moved to the second level of the concert hall, and the women remained below. A young relative of Ms.Spaulding seated behind me called her performance “beautiful” and said, “I loved it,” at its conclusion.

Most impressive for me were the two Kyrie Setting presented with no applause between. We heard “Kyrie Eleison from ‘Kleine Orgelmesse’ by Franz Joseph Haydn and “Kyrie Eleison” from ‘Missa Rigensis’ composed by Ugis Praulins, with the latter featuring a great bass part for some of the ‘Christe’ sections. “Let Your Love Be Heard” by contemporary composer Jake Runnestad featured tenors Elijah Uttley-Rosado, Will Stetson and John Segnit: Dr. Ganschow introduced this work as a “prayer” and dedicated it to people who are struggling and cannot hear the love around them. The final number, “just for fun,” was the traditional spiritual “Witness” arranged by Jack Halloran.

Members of the choir include Naugatuck residents Christian Janis, Liam Alldredge and Ms. Spaulding, while Sergio Mandujano (‘The Drowsy Chaperone’) and Michael Newman and Ms. Spaulding of Naugatuck are members of the Chamber Singers. Amy Cote of Oxford appeared in what will be her final University Choir Concert at WCSU.

All other photos by Nancy Sasso Janis