Chorale, Chamber Concert Band to Tour United States
Valparaiso University’s Chamber Concert Band and University Chorale will soon begin tours that will take them around the country, providing Valpo alumni, parents, and friends several opportunities to see each prestigious musical ensemble in person.
The Chamber Concert Band opens March 2 in the Chapel of the Resurrection. The band will combine with Windiana Concert Band to headline the first-ever Valparaiso University Tolkien conference. Maestro de Meij will guest conduct the bands in their performance of Johan de Meij’s Symphony No. 1: The Lord of the Rings. This event celebrates the 25th anniversary of the symphony’s premiere.
Throughout the remainder of the tour, the Chamber Concert Band will continue to perform Symphony No. 1 around the nation. The band will also perform section from other significant cinematic scores, including selections from “Harry Potter,” “The Incredibles,” and “The Patriot.” Also on the program will be three selections from Miklos Rozsa.
The tour will also feature local students performing in their hometowns, including Kaleb Chamberlin and Rhoda O’Conner. Soloists include Valparaiso University Concerto Competition winner Nick McIntyre on alto saxophone and a euphonium duet by Marcus Mues and Danielle Mueller.
The Chamber Concert Band will also perform a memorial piece at each show for the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy. The piece, “An American Elegy” by Frank Ticheli, was originally commissioned and premiered in 2000 to honor the victims of the shooting at Columbine High School.
On March 7, the Chamber Concert Band returns for the third time to the rotunda of the Indiana State House in Indianapolis.
The University Chorale will also be traveling to cities near you. The Chorale’s performances will feature selections from Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as Heinrich Schütz, Frank Ticheli, and Peter Van Dyke. The vocal performance will combine a unique blend of folk songs, spirituals, and hymns.
The Chorale tour begins Feb. 23 in Donaldson, Ind., at the Ancilla Domini Chapel. Soon thereafter, the Chorale will be performing on Valparaiso University’s campus at the Chapel of the Resurrection on Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
