The college choir and its director, Peter Green, have brought a new definition of choral music to light.
The new additions of the Vocal Ensemble and GCC Barbershop, which were newly presented in the Spring Concert last Sunday, have livened up the program for even those who have no interest in choral music.
The concert was held in the Glendale College Auditorium at 4 p.m. with Green directing Dr. Anita Hanawalt was the accompanist.
The concert had a variety of works ranging from Renaissance and Baroque periods to 20th Century and Modern Jazz. Pieces such as “The May Night,” written by Johannes Brahms and arranged by Arthur Frackenpohl, and “Crucifixus,” written by Antonio Lotti, highlighted the traditional styles of choral music.
To balance in more modern music, pieces arranged by Kirby Shaw, a well known contemporary arranger of our time, like “When I Fall in Love” and “Operator,” were sung by the Vocal Ensemble. Various soloists, including Juliette Miller, Jason Choi, Daniela Davies and Michelle Windoffer who added to the liveliness of the concert.
Albert Lee, a member of the College Choir, voiced his opinion on the choir’s overall performance. he said. “We sang well and managed to get through a lot of music in this semester.”
“I thought the concert was good,” said Lee. “It had a wide range of styles and periods.”
The two new additions to the College Choir, the GCC Barbershop and Vocal Ensemble, gave a new twist to the concert.
The Vocal Ensemble was an ongoing work in progress which started four semesters ago as the Chamber Choir. This semester marks the first time it has been offered as an official class, and it has seen success with 16 dedicated members.
“We had something like it a couple of semesters before, but it was just `chamber music,’ a general class without official rehearsals,” said Aaron Moe, a member of College Choir, Vocal Ensemble, and GCC Barbershop.
The GCC Barbershop is a totally new addition to the choir. It consists of four members: Krister Strandskov, Paul Galbo and Moe and Aaron Foley.
Barbershop music is an unaccompanied four-part harmonious American folk art which is usually characterized by sentimental lyrics and four-part chords. This quartet sang “My Wild Irish Rose,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “Bill Grogan’s Goat.”
“Anyone who loves music and wants to be a part in making it, should definitely join,” Moe also said.
“If they’re having second doubts about their ability, it’s nothing to worry about.”