It’s a top honor that colleges and universities from across the United States hope to be chosen for, and when the decision was made this year, Lamar University stood in the finals.
The National Collegiate Choral Organization’s biennial conference will convene Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 at the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, and Lamar’s A Capella Choir will perform before its membership.
This is the first time in LU's history that a choral ensemble has been selected to perform at a national convention.
“It is a thrill to be chosen for this event,” says Dr. Eduardo Garcia-Novelli, Lamar’s outgoing director of choral activities. “Only 10 schools were selected nationwide. The odds of a school being picked are so slim that I sent in our audition materials without telling the choir.”
Choral students, were, indeed surprised when they learned about the honor. Senior Josmery Ramirez of Baytown attributes the success to Garcia-Novelli’s leadership.
“People don’t know what Dr. G. has done for the department, and the wonderful legacy he leaves behind,” says Ramirez. “He’s been a great influence on all of us, both academically and personally.”
The NCCO performance will mark the end of Garcia-Novelli’s tenure with Lamar University. He has accepted a position at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis., and will start there full time after the concert.
Russ Schultz, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, says Garcia-Novelli will be missed. “This event is a significant reward for the hard work of the students and the quality of leadership that Dr. Garcia-Novelli has provided to the program over the last few years.”
At the conference, the choir will perform an extremely difficult program entitled “Choral Music of the Americas," featuring composers from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and the United States.
“Salmo 150,” from Brazilian Ernest Widmer, opens the concert, which then moves into a short piece by Portuguese-Mexican 16th-century composer Gaspar Fernandes, "Viva Ignacio." That is followed by the expressive "Lux aeterna" by Fernando Moruja.
“Introducción al angel,” a tango written by another Argentinean, Astor Piazzolla, will feature dancers Mary Henderson and Golden Wright.
The concert also includes Canadian composer Sid Robinovitch’s "Sensemayá," a choral setting of a famous poem by the great Afro-Cuban poet Nicolas Guillén. One of the United State’s premiere composers, Samuel Barber, is included with his "On the Death of Cleopatra" from the opera Antony and Cleopatra.
The performance closes with the lush "Corazón, Coraza" by composer Beatriz Corona of Cuba. The selection is a musical retelling of a beautiful poem by Uruguayan poet Mario Benedetti.
On Sunday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m., Lamar’s A Capella Choir will perform a local concert of the works presented at the NCCO. The public is invited to celebrate with Lamar and attend this free choral concert at First United Methodist Church, 701 Calder St., in Beaumont.
For more information, please call (409) 880-8144, or visit the College of Fine Arts and Communication online at http://dept.lamar.edu/cofac/.
