A Cappella to perform with guest choirs 麻豆传媒 A Cappella Choir to perform with high school choirs

The 麻豆传媒 A Cappella Choir, along with special guest choirs the Heights High School Concert Choir and the Derby High School Philharmonic Choir, will present Sing Joyfully at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, in Wiedemann Recital Hall.

Tickets are $7 for general admission and $2 for students with other discounts available.

The A Cappella Choir, directed by Tom Wine, opens with two selections based on Old Testament Psalms. Both are upbeat, but with entirely different styles. The William Byrd setting of 鈥淪ing Joyfully鈥� was composed in the early 17th century and has a delightful interplay of melodic lines.

The Edwin Ferguson setting, 鈥淗appy is He,鈥� is a 20th century composition with mixed meter, dramatic dynamic shifts and a popcorn-style bongo part.

A verse from Revelation is the basis for a rich Baroque motet by Heinrich Schutz, 鈥淪elig Sind die Toten,鈥� that is technically demanding, sung in six-part arrangement without any accompaniment.

The choir will premier a new setting by Wine of 鈥淭he Lord鈥檚 Prayer.鈥� The concert will close with a lively medley of Israeli folk songs in a piece called 鈥淶um Gali.鈥�

The Heights High School Concert Choir, directed by Mark Walker, is preparing a program that includes audition selections for the Kansas All-State Choir. Last year, more than 65 students from Heights auditioned for the state choir.

Walker indicated that the students feel confident to audition because they have performed the audition music in several different venues. This year鈥檚 audition selections include a beautiful madrigal by Monteverdi, a buoyant selection from the Baroque by Telemann and a rousing contemporary fanfare by Nelson.

The Derby High School Philharmonic Choir, directed by Melissa Watkins, is preparing a program from a variety of choral styles.

The philharmonic choir has a rich tradition of choral excellence with recent appearances at the Kansas Music Educators Association state conference.