By Aliyah Bidwell, Senior Reporter
The university Chorale and Singers will be performing in the annual Soundscapes concert Saturday at 7 p.m.
The concert will be at the Alva Public School bus barn, 230 Choctaw St. Doors will open to the public at 6:30 p.m.
The choirs have been preparing for this concert for a month and a half.
Dr. Karsten Longhurst, the university choir director, said the longest song will be around eight minutes long. There will be solos.
“I am excited to have a program with various songs and genres to highlight the uniqueness of the bus barn and its acoustics,” Longhurst said. “I try to have works that are unique and that most people would never hear by choice unless they are choral music aficionados, but I also have songs that are very familiar so they can hear things that can take them by surprise, and hopefully by pleasant surprise.
“We chose to do it at the bus barn because most of the places in town don’t have good acoustics, and the bus barn does with a nice, reverberant sound. It can be a little uncomfortable because the seats are hardwood, and it is a little dusty. During the concert, you may hear pigeons squabbling. We bring in lighting to help it not be so dark, but even with the lights, it can be a bit dark. I hope the community, faculty and staff will come out and support us.
“This is usually our most well-attended concert. We hope to create a unique experience that is memorable and enjoyable, and it celebrates the hard work of our students here.”
BAND CONCERT SET
The university band will have a concert Sunday at 2 p.m., with doors opening to the public at 1:30 p.m.
The concert will take place in the Herod Hall Auditorium.
The concert will feature the university concert band, which is a combination of students and community members.
It will also feature the Chamberwinds, an audition group that is mostly comprised of music majors.
Anyone is welcome to attend.
“In several of the pieces, there is a handful of flute solos, a French horn solo and a piano solo as well,” said Dr. Michael Black, the university’s band director.
He said the longest song the bands will perform is going to be a little longer than 10 minutes.
Band members have been preparing for the concert since the beginning of March.
“I am excited for the audience to hear the progress the students have made, particularly with the Chamberwinds because they are playing some pretty difficult music,” Black said.
“The concert band will be playing a song that will address mental health and trying open up conversations about mental health and mental health stigmas.”