As the semester comes to a close, various Fine Arts programs at Waynesburg University are performing the work they have put in all semester long. Thursday, Nov. 9, at 5 p.m. the Lamplighter Touring Choir is presenting their concert, “Singing Through the Psalms.”

According to Director of Choral Music and Assistant Professor of Vocal Music Melanie Catana, the Lamplighters Touring Choir will be singing through parts of six different Psalms. The choir, which is made up of 22 students who auditioned for their spot, plans to use this concert to fulfill their mission of,  “spreading the Gospel of Christ through song.”

“I think it just gives a really nice, another interpretation of the Psalms,” Catana said. “When you’re reading them, you get a certain interpretation by reading or reading aloud, and we will do some reading aloud of the Psalms and praying through a Psalm, but then singing the Psalms in the way they’re set to music kind of brings out different emotions in them.”

Catana went on to describe what singing the songs has meant to herself and the choir.

“Kind of the thing that I’ve been learning about the Psalms is that they not only praise God but they also lament to God and they complain and they do all kinds of things, just like we kind of need to do to have an honest relationship with anybody,” Catana said. “With God we can’t always just be like praise, praise, praise and you feel horrible and you’re wondering why isn’t God changing [the situation]. Just that honesty of being able to complain and ask God why this or that.”

Junior Entrepreneurship Major Jayda Fyock has been part of the Lamplighter Touring Choir for three years. Fyock described the opportunity to sing scripture, “word for word” as powerful for both the choir and those who plan to attend.

“We have very powerful pieces that show the worship of our Lord and Savior,” Fyock said in an email conversation. “This is a great time to spend with the Lord and have fellowship with other people worshiping in the same space. This is an amazing opportunity to worship with others who love the lord and worship through music and scripture readings.”

The service is set up as a vesper service, or a service which is liturgical and requires audience participation, according to Catana. During the concert, the audience will be asked to sing along and participate in a call/response song. 

“When you’re memorizing a Scripture, you’re kind of putting a rhythm to it to memorize, but when you do it in a song, it’s got a whole harmonic structure and kind of emotion built in,” Catana said. “I think it just gives all of us the sense of what that Psalm could mean in a deeper emotional way.”

Fyock gave one last piece of advice to those considering attending the concert. 

“The touring choir has been working very hard on the music that is being presented at this Thursday’s concert and would love to have the opportunity to share their love of God with the community.  We are excited to be able to share all the hard work that we have put into getting these songs prepared for the concert and to have time in the house of the Lord sharing his good news.”

If interested in attending, all are welcome at 5 p.m. in Roberts Chapel.