SBU Choral ensembles to present outdoor concert on March 23

BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University Division of Arts and Humanities will present an outdoor evening of choral music at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 23 on the Burnidge Memorial Forum on the Bolivar campus.

Under the direction of Dr. James R. Tarrant, professor of music and director of choral studies at SBU, the concert will feature the University Singers and the University’s premiere choral ensemble, the Chorale, with each ensemble presenting music specific to their expertise.

“Even in the face of the adversity that the pandemic presents, SBU Music continues to provide worthwhile live music experiences for our community,” Tarrant said. “These ensembles represent the spirit of hope that is prevalent on the SBU campus.”

The University Singers will perform an unexpected repertoire of holiday music. Yule season favorites will be performed, along with new compositions.

“We perform this program in honor of the Christmas concert we all missed three months ago,” Tarrant said.

The Chorale, comprised of music majors and non-music majors selected through competitive audition each semester, will perform a purely a cappella program that highlights music of America.

“This nation’s musical history is somewhat unique,” Tarrant said. “The clearly ‘home grown’ music of America has its deepest roots in colonial church music, black and white spirituals, and the like.   Many of the composers are anonymous yet kept alive through the work of arrangers. Aside from jazz, this is the music that Europeans find so intriguing about us.”

The performance is free and open to the public, with masks and social distancing required. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets as a limited number of chairs will be available. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held on March 29.

For more information about the concert, please contact the SBU Music Office at (417) 328-1644. 

*Published: 3-12-2021