Ten years ago Goshen College had only a chamber choir and a chorale.
Debra Brubaker, a current choir director, remembers when James Hikes, a former choir director, wanted to grow the program.“He said, ‘You can’t have a choral program without a men’s chorus,’ and I said, ‘Well, you can’t have a men’s chorus without a women’s chorus,’” said Brubaker.
Ten years later, Brubaker still directs the Women’s World Choir and Scott Hochstetler has taken direction of the Men’s Chorus. They will lead the GC choirs and two guest high school choirs in a celebration of GC’s decade of gendered choirs, “Ten Years of Venus and Mars,” this Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the Music Center’s Sauder Concert Hall.
The show will include performances from Men’s Chorus, Women’s World Choir, Chamber Choir, Concord High School’s advanced women’s chorus and Goshen High School’s Crimson Men’s Choir.
Since early 2004, the men’s and women’s choirs have performed both separately and in combined shows. Men’s Chorus repertoire has emphasized sacred a capella literature, while Women’s World Choir has focused on spiritual music from cultures around the world.
Songs performed will include “Daniel”, a spiritual featuring the joint men’s and women’s choirs; “I Hear A Voice A-Prayin”, and “Johnny Schmoeker”, performed by the Crimson Men’s Choir; “Ave Maria”, featuring the joint Men’s Chorus and GHS’s Crimson Men’s Choir; “Father Adieu”, an Appalachian Folk tune sung by the Women’s World Choir; and “Harlem Songs” by Langston Hughes and Gwyneth Walker, also sung by Women’s World Choir.
Chamber Choir, featuring select voices from the men’s and women’s ensembles, will also perform, directed by Hochstetler.
Tickets are $7 for adults, and $5 for seniors and students. They will be available at the door one hour before the concert. GC staff, faculty, and students can get in free.
