Review 2
East Wilkes High School Madrigals
Concert Review
December 18, 2014
Donathan Layell On the 21st day of October 2014 the Wilkes all county ensemble performed a five piece performance at the John A. Walker Center under the direction of Dr. Robert Holquist. These five pieces consisted of varies styles including songs of Praise, East African worship and love. The concert choir began to perform at 7:30 exactly, after being introduced by the choral teachers of the four high schools. The overall experience of the concert was very laid back and enjoyable. As the voices of this amazingly blended SAB choir rang out a melody of beauty and sweet serenity. The work they had all put in was defiantly present. I was impressed at the pureness and the strength of the choir. They started with an old syncopated composition called “American folk Rhapsody”. The secular piece had an upbeat rhythm and was voiced with SAB parts accompanied by a piano. Written in the key of F the composition was sung and played in a major mode. On this piece the choir blended very nicely except for a few spots here and there. Overall the ensemble seemed to really enjoy singing this music. After presenting to the audience their first piece the choir moved on to sing “Hakuna Mungu Kama Wewe”. This is a sacred east African worship song that is written to be sung Acapella with SAB parts. The non-syncopated piece in the major mode gave a joyful feeling to the audience with its quick pace. Unlike their first piece the choirs voice seemed like one big sound without any breaks, they were in complete unison. The next selection of music that was sung was the piece “Festival Sanctus”. Originally intended for a SATB choir the piece was modified to fit the ensemble. A sacred piece written in Latin and adding to the feel the piece is also in a minor key. With a syncopated and bouncy rhythm the song lifted the spirits of all in the auditorium. The voices blended and seemed as if there was one big person singing
Concert Review
December 18, 2014
Donathan Layell On the 21st day of October 2014 the Wilkes all county ensemble performed a five piece performance at the John A. Walker Center under the direction of Dr. Robert Holquist. These five pieces consisted of varies styles including songs of Praise, East African worship and love. The concert choir began to perform at 7:30 exactly, after being introduced by the choral teachers of the four high schools. The overall experience of the concert was very laid back and enjoyable. As the voices of this amazingly blended SAB choir rang out a melody of beauty and sweet serenity. The work they had all put in was defiantly present. I was impressed at the pureness and the strength of the choir. They started with an old syncopated composition called “American folk Rhapsody”. The secular piece had an upbeat rhythm and was voiced with SAB parts accompanied by a piano. Written in the key of F the composition was sung and played in a major mode. On this piece the choir blended very nicely except for a few spots here and there. Overall the ensemble seemed to really enjoy singing this music. After presenting to the audience their first piece the choir moved on to sing “Hakuna Mungu Kama Wewe”. This is a sacred east African worship song that is written to be sung Acapella with SAB parts. The non-syncopated piece in the major mode gave a joyful feeling to the audience with its quick pace. Unlike their first piece the choirs voice seemed like one big sound without any breaks, they were in complete unison. The next selection of music that was sung was the piece “Festival Sanctus”. Originally intended for a SATB choir the piece was modified to fit the ensemble. A sacred piece written in Latin and adding to the feel the piece is also in a minor key. With a syncopated and bouncy rhythm the song lifted the spirits of all in the auditorium. The voices blended and seemed as if there was one big person singing