Women's Choir Observation

I observed the Belmont Women's Choir concert on Thursday April 21, 2016 at 7:30 P.M. in the McAfee Concert Hall. I participated in Women's Choir the first semester of my freshman year at Belmont, and I had previously been a member in many choirs, so I had participated in and watched many similar performances in the past. Accompanying the choir was a saxophonist, harpist, pianist, violist, two percussionists, and a pianist. There were four vocal parts: soprano I, soprano II, alto I, and alto II.

The theme of this particular concert was to celebrate music from around the world, and thus, they sang songs from Norway, Israel, Japan, Macedonia, Ireland, Iran, Cuba, Nashville, and West Africa. My favorite piece was the second song of the night "Reflections from Yad Vashem" by Daniel J. Hall. It is a hauntingly gorgeous song inspired by the Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and pays tribute to the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust. The song combines Biblical texts, the composer's own words, and a Hebrew lullaby called "Numi, Numi, Yaldati." The acoustics in the concert hall produced a terrific echo and gave more depth to the polyphonic texture. I also really enjoyed "Siuial a Ruin," a traditional Irish song sung in Gaelic. A soloist began the the piece with a solo filled with the vocal ornamentation that is very characteristic of traditional Irish music. It was a great performance, and I enjoyed listening to the songs from a variety of countries and cultures.

#learningtask