MONMOUTH, ILLINOIS (March 14, 2022) — After what Monmouth College vocal music director Tim Pahel called a "fantastic" spring break trip to Chicago for the Chorale and the Chamber Choir, the ensembles are back on campus and preparing for their traditional "home" concert.
Free and open to the public, that event will be held at 7:30PM, March 19, in the Kasch Performance Hall in the College's Dahl Chapel and Auditorium.
"The Chicago trip was fantastic," said Pahel. "The students sang so well and had a great time. We gave two concerts at churches and had many positive comments afterwards. And we had four choral exchange concerts at suburban high schools, which were definitely a highlight. Our students and the high-school students got to talk to each other and ask questions as well as sing for each other. In addition, I think we made some very positive connections for Monmouth College."
The music professor said the program for the home concert features a variety of musical styles from a variety of locations.
"There's a lot of variety on the program, including classical pieces, multicultural songs like 'Ilay gandangan' from the Philippines, very dissonant and modern pieces like 'Lucis creator' by Lithuanian composer [Vytautas] Miškinis, and a jazz selection called 'Butterfly,' originally sung by the Finnish jazz group Rajaton," said Pahel.
The Chorale will close the performance with two recently-composed songs by Kyle Pederson, "one whose text talks about ending violence and finding ways for people to understand each other and live together peacefully, and another that has a gospel-style section, with Swahili text and drumming on the djembe," said Pahel.
