Southeastern Choirs to go “…to the STARS” with concert on October 29

October 15, 2024

The choirs of Southeastern Oklahoma State University will present their Fall Choral Concert, entitled “…to the STARS” on Tuesday, October 29.

The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Montgomery Auditorium on the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University. All Southeastern music events are free and open to the public.

The performance will feature a collection of choral works highlighting galaxies, celestial bodies, and the heavens. Some well-known favorites will be offered, such as The Heavens Are Telling from Haydn’s Creation, Ride the Chariot – a classic African American Spiritual by William Henry Smith, and Choose Something Like A Star by Randall Thompson.

Newer selections include a piece by Latvian composer Erik Ešenvalds titled Stars, which employs tuned water glasses played while the choir sings to mimic the “music of the spheres,” and Gai Bintang, a complex arrangement of a children’s song about reaching the stars by Indonesian composer Budi Susanto Johanes.

Along with the SE Choral Union and the Southeastern Chorale, the concert will also highlight several Southeastern music faculty, including Dr. Sunny Yun, pianist, Dr. Stella Yoon, soprano, and Audrey Lee, violinist.

“It’s always an exciting time anticipating the first concert of the year,” said Dr. Abby Musgrove, Director of Choirs at Southeastern. “I love the variety of ways this topic can be approached; everyone has at some point looked up at the stars and hoped for answers, peace, adventure, dreams. The diversity of musical styles on this concert really highlights the different ways we all dream for greater things.”