On Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in Roberts Chapel, the Waynesburg Department of Fine Arts will present the Music Program Spring Concert featuring the Symphonic Band and Lamplighters Choir. Waynesburg students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to experience the musical performance for free.

The spring concert is a culminating production that will begin with the Lamplighters Touring Choir and Concert Choir. According to Melanie Catana, assistant professor of vocal music and director of choral music, each group will perform several pieces both separate and as a combined group. 

The Concert Choir will be singing the works of Bob Chilcott’s “Five Days that Changed the World,” a piece that takes the audience through the five most important historical dates including “the invention of printing, the abolition of slavery, the first powered flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first man in space,” according to the score’s description. 

“This stands out to me because we’ve worked on it the longest this semester, and it’s very different and new, and I’m looking forward to that,” Catana said. “It creates a mood for each movement, through the music, rather than like a memorable song that you could hum as you walk out.”

In addition to the Concert Choir, Catana shared that the Lamplighters Touring Choir will be performing two Latin pieces: Ruth Morris Gray’s “Omnis Terra” and John Leavitt’s “Festival Sanctus.” 

During the performance, the choirs will be accompanied by part-time Instructor of Music and Percussionist Camilo Jauregui on the timpani drums and Dr. Sora Lee, part-time instructor of music on the piano. 

Following the choirs, the Symphonic Band will showcase their hard work through four works of varying themes. According to Eric Brewer, instructor of music and music program director and chair for the fine arts department, the band will begin by performing the first movement of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ “English Folk Song Suite,” “Seventeen Come Sunday.”

“We’re only doing one movement because the students were really, really interested in doing that,” Brewer said. “They loved that piece.”

According to Brewer, other, emotive pieces will be featured in the spring concert such as Pavel Chesnokov’s “Salvation is Created.” Others will include two songs which the percussion ensemble performed in the Chamber Works Concert on Thursday, April 16, Jared Spears’ “Scamper” and Percy Aldridge Grainger’s “Colonial Song.”

One senior percussionist is looking forward to the approaching concert with anticipation. 

“I am feeling very confident going into this upcoming performance,” Heather Zeigler, senior criminal justice administration and psychology major, wrote in an email. “I am sure the concert jitters are bound to show up the closer that the date arrives, but overall, I really enjoy the music that we have on our program.” 

Zeigler is currently president of the Symphonic Band and is a member of the percussion section. She explained that her role in the group primarily allows her to be a liaison between the director and band members as well as organizing activities such as the trip to a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performance each semester. 

While the spring concert is a time to showcase a semester’s worth of effort through musical harmony and teamwork, it is a bittersweet event for some participants who will be graduating in May. 

“I honestly think it hasn’t set in yet that this will be my last concert at Waynesburg,” Zeigler wrote. “Every band that I have played with has had their own quirks and dynamics and this band especially is one that I feel is a great fit for me. So overall, there is definitely some sadness.”

Although the concert may evoke emotional moments, Brewer and Zeigler praised the band’s diligence over the last year. 

“The band has done very hard work this year,” Brewer said. “It’s probably the best the band has every sounded in my time here. I’m really proud of the work they’ve done.”

Zeigler echoed her pride in the group of students she has spent so many hours rehearsing with. 

“I am super proud of all of the students who put in so much work to help make this concert what it is,” Zeigler wrote. “I am very proud to be going out with such a dedicated and thoughtful group!”

For more information or questions about the spring concert, contact Brewer at eric.brewer@waynesburg.edu. 

By Natalie Double

On Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in Roberts Chapel, the Waynesburg Department of Fine Arts will present the Music Program Spring Concert featuring the Symphonic Band and Lamplighters Choir. Waynesburg students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to experience the musical performance for free.

The spring concert is a culminating production that will begin with the Lamplighters Touring Choir and Concert Choir. According to Melanie Catana, assistant professor of vocal music and director of choral music, each group will perform several pieces both separate and as a combined group. 

The Concert Choir will be singing the works of Bob Chilcott’s “Five Days that Changed the World,” a piece that takes the audience through the five most important historical dates including “the invention of printing, the abolition of slavery, the first powered flight, the discovery of penicillin, and the first man in space,” according to the score’s description. 

“This stands out to me because we’ve worked on it the longest this semester, and it’s very different and new, and I’m looking forward to that,” Catana said. “It creates a mood for each movement, through the music, rather than like a memorable song that you could hum as you walk out.”

In addition to the Concert Choir, Catana shared that the Lamplighters Touring Choir will be performing two Latin pieces: Ruth Morris Gray’s “Omnis Terra” and John Leavitt’s “Festival Sanctus.” 

During the performance, the choirs will be accompanied by part-time Instructor of Music and Percussionist Camilo Jauregui on the timpani drums and Dr. Sora Lee, part-time instructor of music on the piano. 

Following the choirs, the Symphonic Band will showcase their hard work through four works of varying themes. According to Eric Brewer, instructor of music and music program director and chair for the fine arts department, the band will begin by performing the first movement of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ “English Folk Song Suite,” “Seventeen Come Sunday.”

“We’re only doing one movement because the students were really, really interested in doing that,” Brewer said. “They loved that piece.”

According to Brewer, other, emotive pieces will be featured in the spring concert such as Pavel Chesnokov’s “Salvation is Created.” Others will include two songs which the percussion ensemble performed in the Chamber Works Concert on Thursday, April 16, Jared Spears’ “Scamper” and Percy Aldridge Grainger’s “Colonial Song.”

One senior percussionist is looking forward to the approaching concert with anticipation. 

“I am feeling very confident going into this upcoming performance,” Heather Zeigler, senior criminal justice administration and psychology major, wrote in an email. “I am sure the concert jitters are bound to show up the closer that the date arrives, but overall, I really enjoy the music that we have on our program.” 

Zeigler is currently president of the Symphonic Band and is a member of the percussion section. She explained that her role in the group primarily allows her to be a liaison between the director and band members as well as organizing activities such as the trip to a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performance each semester. 

While the spring concert is a time to showcase a semester’s worth of effort through musical harmony and teamwork, it is a bittersweet event for some participants who will be graduating in May. 

“I honestly think it hasn’t set in yet that this will be my last concert at Waynesburg,” Zeigler wrote. “Every band that I have played with has had their own quirks and dynamics and this band especially is one that I feel is a great fit for me. So overall, there is definitely some sadness.”

Although the concert may evoke emotional moments, Brewer and Zeigler praised the band’s diligence over the last year. 

“The band has done very hard work this year,” Brewer said. “It’s probably the best the band has every sounded in my time here. I’m really proud of the work they’ve done.”

Zeigler echoed her pride in the group of students she has spent so many hours rehearsing with. 

“I am super proud of all of the students who put in so much work to help make this concert what it is,” Zeigler wrote. “I am very proud to be going out with such a dedicated and thoughtful group!”

For more information or questions about the spring concert, contact Brewer at eric.brewer@waynesburg.edu.