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Norfolk State University Concert Choir On Sunday, March 9, 2025 at five in the afternoon, Galilee Episcopal Church presented the Norfolk State University Concert Choir, one block from the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia Beach. Terry M. Butler from the organ loft in the back of the sanctuary played Frank Boles' (b. 1955) setting of the medieval poem Adam Lay Ybounden, which speaks of the binding of Adam in limbo following his death and until the birth of Jesus Christ some “four thousand winter” later. In the chancel the forty-member choir with a full range of voices answered with enthusiasm and great musicality. Harlan Zackery, Jr. directed. This was followed by the traditional Anglican hymn Sing Ye to the Lord by Sir Edward C. Biarstow (1874-1946). The third selection was a most lovely lullaby Grace Before Sleep by MIssouri State University composer Susan LaBarr (b.1981). Student conductor Kayla Fontenot led the choir. The next selection was a spiritual arranged by New Orleans born composer Moses Hogan (1957-2003), We Will Walk Through the Valley in Peace, conducted by Terry Butler. As usual, you can count on Moses Hogan to give a new vitality to a well-known spiritual, delivered with panache by the young voices. Next we heard the spiritual Way Over in Beulah Lan' arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs. It had a great, climactic ending. Daniel E. Gawthorp (b.1949) works in Detroit. He puts new energy into older songs and his Sing Me to Heaven was conducted by student Evan Thomas with an unhurried, unfolding beauty. A European set of classical pieces gave us a superb performance of Lacrimosa from Mozart's (1756-1791) Requiem with Butler at the piano and Zackery conducting. Total Praise was conducted by Kayla Fontenot with Evan Thomas at the piano. The composer Richard Smallwood (b. 1948) is "one of the modernist composers who eagerly grasp the opportunity to use contemporary Gospel as a way to reach a wider audience with its attractive, even seductive, music and message of inspiration," to quote Eileen Southern from her book The Music of Black Americans, third edition, 1977. The energy in this rhythmic piece certainly worked its magic on this largely white audience. Immediately after came the classical European music Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 by Gabriel Fauré. Conductor Zackery described the song as "a love letter to Christ." It had the unfolding, lovely sound of a prayer in which deep voices contrasted with the sopranos. Without pause they continued with Dirait-on from Marten Lauridsen's (b.1943) Les Chansons des Roses. Mr. Butler was pianist for this set. Lauridsen is an award-winning composer and has the honor of being America's most frequently performed choral composer. His song is about unfulfilled love. The spiritual My God is a Rock, arranged by Damon H. Dandridge, was delivered in twelve chapters featuring male students Trestin Jones and Wilkins Tyler. It was a lively song, building energy toward the final selection, O Give Thanks (2022) by Judith Christie McCallister (lead vocal by Kendrick Hunt). It raised the roof with singers clapping as they sang and some of the audience joining in the syncopated rhythm. Both conductor Fontenot and pianist Thomas are students. Mr. Zackery demonstrated the diversity of the NSU singers by having each student call out where they are from and their school department. Many are music education majors but many others represent a wide range of professions including science, math, and the humanities. If given the opportunity to hear this fine choir, I would go again. We hope our readers have a chance to hear them very soon. |