Chamber choir rocks the chapel
The Washington University Chamber Choir performed Saturday to its largest crowd ever at its annual winter concert in Graham Chapel.
The choir’s conductor, John Stewart, said that the a cappella group’s 65 students performed very well.
“These are the best voices I’ve ever had,” said Stewart, who has been the director of vocal activities at WU for 12 years. He compared the ingredients needed for a successful choir to those required for a winning sports team.
“It’s analogous [because] in addition to talent, you have to have the right chemistry and atmosphere,” he said. “There is the right chemistry this year. [The students] are joyful, energetic and they work very hard.”
Most of the students in the choir agreed, although a few said that the chemistry in the choir wasn’t as deep as their singing may show. And one member thought that while the singing was better this year, the pieces sung were easier then those of the years before.
Junior Jen Weiner said that she enjoyed the timeless quality of the music.
“It’s touching to know that the pieces were written hundreds of years ago, and they’re still beautiful.”
According to Stewart, the 90-minute concert contained pieces in five different languages and from four different centuries.
Erin Podolny, a sophomore soprano in the choir, said that the choir is better from the years before.
“It’s really amazing this year,” she said. “We have a very balanced choir this year.” Podolny said the bass section, whose size had been a problem in the past, in particular has seen improvement from previous years.
However, she was both pleased and disappointed at the student turnout.
“I obviously would have liked to see more people,” she said, “but you can’t expect a campus where most students are 19 and 20 to come and listen to Tschaikovsky.”
Other students in the choir reflected Podolny’s comments. They gave Stewart high marks for his inspiration and vocal instruction.
“We couldn’t have done it without John,” said Poldony, who added that Stewart reads a different inspiring quote to the choir at each practice. “He tries to make it more then just singing.”
The choir’s next performances will be at the Art Museum on Tuesday, December 4, at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Their next concert on campus will be a performance with the WU student orchestra on April 9.
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