Plenty of new music, including a piece written to commemorate University President Dan Lambert’s retirement, will be performed at the annual Spring Choral Concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in the Osborne Chapel.
The University Singers, Concert Choir and Chamber Singers will be performing with the orchestra Sunday.
A variety of music will be performed ranging from a Mozart Mass to a new piece written by Instructor of Music Jim Funkhouser.
Professor of Music John Buehler said Funkhouser’s piece will be making its debut and features lyrics taken from Lambert’s many commencement speeches.
“All the music being performed is new to the choirs, and each one of them will be singing a varied repertoire,” Buehler said.
The concert will offer a variety of music all with a different level of difficulty and uniqueness.
“Every piece that is done is challenging and different from the others,” Buehler said. “I also enjoy that it is the end of the year and it should be our best concert we do all year long.”
Senior Ashley Jones said the variation in music fits together nicely.
“Our spring concert has some very contrasting pieces,” Jones said. “The Mozart Mass has been challenging, but overall it fits together musically.”
Buehler said the difficulty of all the music is high, but adds to the strength of the program.
“All of it is difficult,” Buehler said. “Each piece is very finely crafted, and all of it is advanced music.”
David Weyhrauch, director of the University Singers, said his group’s music is particularly difficult due to the language. Songs will be performed in Italian, Russian and German.
“It is tricky getting all the consonants in German,” Weyhrauch said.
The choir numbers have been increasing over the past couple of years, which means there are a lot of newcomers to the program, Buehler said.
Freshman Trevor Racine said the increase in work ethic and professionalism has been an adjustment for him.
“All of the kids in choir go in every day and sing until they’re spent,” Racine said. “Concert Choir is four days a week and we almost always come out tired.”
Another new aspect to the annual concert is the location. Traditionally, the concert has been held in Rice Auditorium, but has been moved to Osborne Chapel this year.
Weyhrauch said he thinks singing in the chapel adds another degree of difficulty to the pieces along with something out-of-the-normal for the group.
“I guess a challenge will be being understood while singing in the large sanctuary,” Weyhrauch said.
The concert will be enjoyable and definitely one to remember, Racine said.
“It is definitely going to be a fantastic concert,” Racine said. “I hope that we get a big turn out.”
Jones said she agreed.
“Our spring concert promises to have a little something for everyone and we have worked very hard to make it happen,” Jones said.