Fall Choral Concert, Oct. 27

The Ashland University Choir, Women's Chorus and the Ashland Area Chorus present a fall choral concert with an eclectic program centered around the theme of hope, happiness and security including Handel's "Sing unto God," Duruflé’s Requiem along with the Irish folk song "The Parting Glass" as sung by The Wailin’ Jennys and much more. The concert will be held on Sunday, October 27 at 4 p.m. in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel and is free and open to the public.

Dr. Rowland Blackley, Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, will conduct the University Choir with accompaniment by Dr. Timothy Guenther. Their portion of the program will include“San’bonani,” a traditional IsiZulu welcome song arranged by Michael Barrett; the festive music of Lloyd Pfautsch and the joyful poetry of Joseph Addison together in the choral fanfare “Consecrate the Place and Day;” and “Behold, How Good” by Michael John Trotta.

The program continues with Jake Runestad's “Please Stay” which is a simple but dramatic piece that was commissioned by a consortium of Ohio universities including Ashland University; along with a motet imploring God’s peace by the Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz; Handel's “Sing unto God;” and the upbeat traditional spiritual “Walk Together, Children” arranged by Moses Hogan.

Directed by Deborah Logan and accompanied by Susan Gregg, the Women's chorus' selections will include Douglas Wagner's arrangement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Linden Lea;" "As the Rain Hides the Stars" by Elaine Hagenberg; and the Irish folk song "The Parting Glass" as sung by The Wailin’ Jennys.

For the Ashland Area Chorus, director Elizabeth Slade has selected Maurice Duruflé's Requiem. Written for a solo voice, mixed choir, and organ, the Requiem's thematic material is mostly taken from the Mass for the Dead in Gregorian chant.