The annual Earthtones choral concert will be held in Sauder Concert Hall this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. All GC choirs—Goshen College Chorale, Chamber Choir, Men’s Chorus and Women’s World Music Choir—will gather to sing a collection of songs that celebrate the earth and its diverse cultures.
The concert’s theme this year is “Songs from Many Cultures” and will include pieces from a variety of regions, ethnic groups and traditions.“I appreciate that there is a wide variety of pieces, most of them ethnic,” said Becca Augsburger, a sophomore choir member. “Some are in English but most of them are in other languages. Each one has a unique sound and each one stands out.”
The Earthtones program is an annual spring event that generally intersects with “Earth Hour,” a worldwide event in which people are invited to forgo the use of lights for an hour to raise awareness about global climate change. The concert will decrease their use of lights in the lobby and will give a general announcement explaining the importance of Earth Hour. A drum circle will follow the concert at 9:30 p.m. to further celebrate Earth Hour.
To many members of both choir and the community, the Earthtones concert signals the beginning of spring.
“The concert feels like a celebration of what…students have been doing in the music department,” said Stephanie Hollenberg, a senior choir member. “It’s like a final celebration for choir and a celebration for spring.”
In addition to the musical portion of the concert, there will be a recognition of senior choir members during the program. And, in order to recognize special audience members who have influenced choir students, both men’s and women’s choir students will invite an individual of their gender to join them onstage for a song.
“The pieces are chosen to relate to the earth and the rhythms of the earth,” said Hollenberg. “It’s definitely not your traditional concert.”
Tickets cost $7 for adults and $5 for students/seniors, available through the Welcome Center by calling (574) 535-7566, emailing welcomecenter@goshen.edu or online at www.goshen.edu/tickets.
