NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

3/14/2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES-Northwestern State University's Concert Choir and Chamber Choir will perform on Monday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. Dr. Burt Allen, director of choral activities at NSU, will conduct the Chamber Choir. Ron Mayfield will conduct the Concert Choir. Betsy Allums Wildhalm is the accompanist.

The Concert Choir will perform "Cantique de Jean Racine" by Gabriel Faure' selections from "Four Pastorals" by Cecil Effinger and "Who Hath a Right to Sing" by Lloyd Pfautsch.

The Chamber Choir will present several selected madrigals by Franz Schubert performed by small ensembles. Soloists will include sopranos Blaire Pourciau of Pride, Sawyer Thomas of Kelly and Laura McPhie of Minden, baritone Aaron Savoie of Shreveport, tenor Shane Garner of Coushatta and bass Chris Price of Natchitoches and Tommy Myrick of Leesville.

"This was a way to create a higher level of professionalism on the part of the students," said Allen. "A variety of small ensembles were created and they did additional work. It put a lot of responsibility on their shoulders and it has paid off."

Allen said the works by Schubert are six "lovely, romantic" pieces with significant solo passages.

Also on the program are "Trois Chansons de Charles d'Orleans" by Claude Debussy featuring soprano Whitney Sanders, alto Mary Dirks, tenor Chris Ware and bass Hunter Jenkins. The Chamber Choir will also perform "When Rooks Fly Homeward" by Arthur Baynon, "J'entend le moulin" arranged by Donald Partiquin, "The Lark in Clear Air" by Donald Cashmore" and John Rutter's "The Heavenly Aeroplane."

The works by Debussy are the only ones he wrote for an unaccompanied choir.

"Debussy wasn't concerned with choir except for what they did to add color to orchestral sound," said Allen.

The final four works are folk songs with elements of English and French music along with a work, "The Heavenly Aeroplane," which is in the style of an American spiritual.

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