On Sunday, March 26, KSC Concert Choir, KSC Chamber Singers, The St. Nikolai Choir of Einbeck, Germany, and The Grand Monadnock Youth Choir joined together for a sold out performance in the Redfern Arts Center Alumni Recital Hall.
The performance was met with a standing ovation from the audience.
The opening address was given by Concert Choir Director Dr. Sandra Howard, followed by Keene Mayor George Hansel, KSC vice president of enrollment and student engagement MB Lufkin, Einbeck Mayor Sabine Michalek and Chair of Keene-Einbeck Partner City Committee John Mitchell.
Howard said that the preparation of the event had been in process for a while.
“We started the communication for this project in October…six or so months to make sure that everyone knows what their role is,” Howard said.
Howard described the process of choosing pieces. “We wanted to be respectful of the partnerships so we purposely programmed some pieces in German,” Howard said. ”I think it’s really interesting to sing in different languages to try to connect with, you know, the original ideas that the composer might have had.”
In addition to conducting, Howard performed alongside Concert Choir during a student-conducted piece. Student conductor and junior Elise Lowe conducted ‘Mein Feinslieb,’ and said that she enjoyed performing with a larger group of people.
“I think it’s exciting…The choir from Germany they’re performing and then we have Grand Monadnock Youth Choir performing…so I think it’s a really great opportunity for them to get out some nerves and be with people who they can maybe look up to,” Lowe said. “For me personally, it’s not nerve racking. I enjoy it because you get to meet new people…and…you can see the future generation of music makers.”
Logan Phillips, a junior in Music Education and Music Performance, conducted a song titled ‘Derr Herr denket an uns, BWV 196.’
“The biggest thing is just really ensuring that…you’re adhering to the stylistic demands of each kind of musical culture,” Phillips said. “ I have to learn it and I have to become the authoritative figure…ensuring that the whole choir is saying it the same way, in the right way.”
This year’s choral exchange will be the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Howard said that she was happy to finally be participating in the exchange again and that she wanted to “have a feeling of campus togetherness.” Howard said, “Keene and Einbeck have been partner cities since at least 2000, so over 20 years…in 2012, that’s when the music exchange began…this will be the fifth exchange we’ve had…Einbeck came here, and then we have another visit, next week, with Einbeckers, and then in May, I’m bringing a group of 30 people from Keene State to Einbeck.”
Howard said that the closing piece, titled “For the Beauty of the Earth,” which all four choirs performed together, “[Had] a great message about your community.”
Benjamin Martins can be contacted at
bmartins@kscequinox.com
