Bethlehem, Pa., April 27, 2016—The Moravian College Choir, directed by Paula Ring Zerkle, will present, "An Evening of Multicultural Music" on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Foy Concert Hall, Hurd Campus. The choir will perform music from various cultures, including African and Aboriginal, East Asian, European, and Latino. The general admission is $15 and $10 for students and seniors.
The program will begin with African and Aboriginal piecesand will include “Sorida” featuring Catherine Kelly, Amber Emerson, soprano; Carolyn Cuesta, Kristen Weaver, alto, supported by Alyssa Ascher, djembe; Kiana Rivera, cabasa; Jason Dietrich, tambourine; Emily Brands, bongos.
“Kalkadunga Yurdu” (Kalkadoon Man) and “Mozambique” will feature Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, Rebecca Sheldon, Henry McCormack, Josh Mercado, Kayla Porter, Andrew Ortega, Tyler Bickford, with Kiana Rivera, percussion.
East Asian pieces will include “Kuai Le De Ju Hui” (Happy Gathering), a Taiwanese aborigine folksong, arranged by Chuang-Shien Lu; “Komoriuta” (Lullaby), and old “Tsimshian Poem,” and “Ano Natsu He” (One Summer Day). Featured students will include Carolyn Cuesta and Kristen Weaver, flute. “For The Light of the Moon,” a Haiku for accompanied soprano will feature Frederick Barr and Peter Petrack, with Faith Brown, soprano; Ray Craft, guitar, Frederick Barr, alto sax; and Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, percussion.
European selections will include “Wild Mountain Thyme” a traditional Scottish piece featuring Jason Dietrich, baritone. Other highlights include “Vuelie”, arranged by Kimberly Leamon ’18, featuring Charlotte Finnerty, Rebekah Brown, Jane Spadaccini, Amber Emerson, Kaitlyn Allison. Another is “Adiemus” performed by Kayleigh Bennett, Catherine Kelly, soprano; Kimberly Leamon, Paula Zerkle, alto.
Latino selections include “Misa Criolla featuring Catherine Kelly, Kimberly Leamon, soprano, Benjamin Wallace, Andrew Ortega, tenor, Kayleigh Bennett, Kristen Weaver, soprano; Kiana Rivera, alto, Faith Brown, soprano, Matthew Obszarny, tenor, with Francisco Torres, Charango; Benjamin Seitz, double - bass; Alyssa Ascher, Emily Brands, Brian Strohmetz, percussion. The choir will sing “Morenita Do Brazil” with Henry McCormack, and Joshua Mercado, guitar, and “To the Mothers in Brazil: Salve Regina” featuring Gunnar Eriksson, Danielle Oehlert, Carolyn Cuesta soprano; Patrick Martin, Henry McCormack, tenor.
The Moravian Choir has been an integral performing ensemble of Moravian College’s noted Department of Music for over sixty years and has sung around the United States, the Caribbean, and in many countries in Europe, including England, Germany, Switzerland, France, Holland, Austria, Russia, Greece, and former Czechoslovakia. The choir has performed with the Allentown Symphony, Allentown Band, Muhlenberg College, and the former Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra. Each December in Bethlehem, the 80-90 women and men of the choir are the focal point in the college’s Christmas Vespers
Although many of them are music majors, a large percentage come from such diverse majors as physics, Bio-chemistry, history, education, math, and English. The choir also includes members from Moravian faculty and staff, as well as people from the local Lehigh Valley community.
Vocalis is a small, select, a cappella vocal ensemble chosen by audition from members of the choir. They sing on the choir concerts, participate occasionally in early music ensemble recitals, perform student compositions, and sing for special events on campus and around the community.
Foy Hall is located on Moravian College’s Hurd Campus in historic downtown Bethlehem. Moravian College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type of accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided should contact Michael Wilson at 610-861-1365 or wilsonm@moravian.edu prior to visiting Moravian College.