March 28, 2013
OBU's Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts, Division of Music, will present a spring choral concert featuring the Bison Glee Club, Bisonette Glee Club and University Chorale Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. in Raley Chapel's Yarborough Auditorium. The public is invited to attend.
The Bison Glee Club will begin the concert with performances of "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty," arranged by Howard Helvey, and "Cantate Domino" by Hans Leo Hassler. They also will perform "A Hymn to God the Father" by John Ness Beck; "I will Greatly Rejoice" by Knut Nystedt; and "Alleluia" by Reginald Unterseher.
The Glee Club will perform "If God is For Us," written by OBU alum Michael Cox and commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the Bison Glee Club in 2012. They will conclude their performance with "Who'll Join," arranged by David E. Morrow.
The Bison Glee Club is under the direction of Dr. D. Brent Ballweg, who serves as Burton H. Patterson professor of music and director of choral activities at OBU. The Glee Club pianist is Sadie Elliot, an OBU sophomore from Oklahoma City. Founded in 1938 by Dr. Warren M. Angell, the Bison Glee Club is an auditioned group of outstanding male musicians on the OBU campus. The group has long been considered one of the premiere men's choruses in the Southwest.
The Bisonette Glee Club performance will include "Ad amore" by Lee R. Kesselman; "O Clap Your Hands" by Isabelle Ganz; and "Awake, My Heart to Sing" by Mark Patterson. The Bisonettes also will perform "Song of the Mira," arranged by Stuart Calvert, and "Shanti" by Mark Sirett. They will conclude their performance with "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord," arranged by Moses Hogan; "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand," arranged by Bob Burroughs; and "Heaven Somewhere," arranged by Stephen Hatfield.
The Bisonettes perform under the direction of Dr. James Vernon, professor of music at OBU. Taylor Thompson, an OBU junior from Shawnee, serves as the group's pianist. The Bisonettes, OBU's Women's Glee Club, was founded by Angell in 1954. Membership in the group represents both music and non-music majors, including students studying nursing, graphic design, biblical languages, psychology, biology and English. The group's performances include an annual tour of churches and schools. The repertoire of the group represents a wide range of compositional styles in both sacred and secular musical formats, as well as showcasing choral standards, traditional numbers and contemporary compositions.
The University Chorale will perform "Sing Joyfully" by William Byrd; "Beati quorum via" by Charles V. Stanford; and "This Little Light of Mine" by Craig Carnahan. They also will perform "Soon-ah Will Be Done" by William L. Dawson and "Love is the Key" by Zebulon M. Highben. The Chorale will conclude the concert with "A Covenant Prayer" by Dan Forrest.
Also under the direction of Ballweg, the University Chorale is accompanied on piano by Dr. Mary Chung, assistant professor of piano at OBU. Since its founding in 1963, the University Chorale at OBU has been its premiere mixed ensemble. Comprised of 40 of OBU's finest singers selected by audition, Chorale's purpose remains the same as it was in its earliest days: "to present advanced choral literature to the OBU campus and community." University Chorale is in demand for performances in the state and region and maintains an active performing schedule both on and off campus.
For additional information about the concert, contact the Division of Music at (405) 585-4301.