Members of the chamber singers participated in a workshop held by The Western Wind vocal ensemble last week during which they learned tips and pointers.
“It was a very well-conducted workshop,” Professor of Music John Buehler said.
The Western Wind, comprised of six members, came as part of the Artist and Lecture Series, Buehler said. Following the clinic held Nov. 6, the vocal ensemble performed that evening at the Baldwin First United Methodist Church.
The group never had been to Baker before, but its members are very familiar with this part of the country, Buehler said.
The chamber singers, along with choirs from two high schools, were a part of the clinic, which Buehler said isn’t unusual for the group to hold as part of its concerts. The student singers sang a few songs for The Western Wind and then their performances were critiqued.
Buehler said the only suggestion The Western Wind had for the Baker chamber singers is that the members should pay attention to the balance of their voices in the choir. Buehler said not all members of the chamber singers were present for the clinic, however.
“The students picked up on (Western Wind’s) evident level of professionalism,” Buehler said.
Senior Trevor Racine has been a member of the chamber singers for three years. Racine said he never had heard of The Western Wind before being a part of the group’s workshop.
“(The Western Wind) really emphasized building from the ground up,” he said.
Racine said the vocal group talked about being comfortable with one’s own voice and explained what it meant to be a performer in a small ensemble.
Racine said the performers also were teachers and each one of them had something to contribute.
“What I took away was the respect they had for each other not only as singers but as teachers,” he said.
Sophomore Ali Watson is experiencing her first semester as a part of the chamber singers.
She said the vocalists talked to the Baker choir about tone quality and how to have a more mature sound.
Watson said the chamber singers had no time for preparation before performing for The Western Wind, but the vocalists enjoyed their warm-up exercises.
“It was nice to have an opinion from another group who knows what they are doing,” Watson said. “It is good to have that feedback.”