Published: April 02, 2009 11:08 pm         

Indiana State University to present Spring Choral Showcase

TERRE HAUTE — The Indiana State University Department of Music will present a Spring Choral Showcase at 7:30 p.m. today in Centenary United Methodist Church at 301 N. Seventh St.

The program will include performances by the Women’s Chorale, under the direction of Mark Carlisle. Scott Buchanan, director of choral activities, will conduct the ISU Concert Choir and Sycamore Singers.

The program will include a variety of musical genres and represents diverse cultures. In addition to traditional American hymn tunes, the Concert Choir will perform two selections from oratorios by George Frideric Handel.

“One of the pieces we are doing is a modern, more gospel-like arrangement of the Hallelujah Chorus,” Buchanan said. “Almost everyone has heard this song at one time or another. But they haven’t heard it like this. The arrangers have spiced it up a bit with syncopated rhythms and a few melodic twists that really give it a lively, gospel feel.”

The concert also will feature music by Finnish composer Jaakko Mäntyjärvi and Australian Sarah Hopkins. The Australian song utilizes a concept called harmonic-overtone singing, which is similar to the overtone chanting of Tantric Tibetan Buddhism. The technique allows for singing in two voices simultaneously by changing the shape of the mouth and lips.

“The effect of this type of singing is really unique,” Buchanan said. “When done correctly, the audience hears overtone melodies in a very high register, even though the singers are actually droning on a single low pitch. It should be an interesting experience in that church.”

The Sycamore Singers will present a set of vocal jazz arrangements, including “Send in the Clowns,” “On a Clear Day,” Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” and an arrangement called “I Sing, You Sing,” by contemporary vocal jazz artists, The Real Group. The Women’s Chorale will offer music from the Broadway musical “Little Women” as well as a song by Indiana composer Greg Gilpin.

The concert is free. For more details, call (812) 237-4590.