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Eliza Halteman first saw Syracuse University’s choir perform in eighth grade while attending Orange Central with her father, an SU alumnus. Five years later, she serenaded a crowd in SU’s Hendricks Chapel at the Malmgren Concert Series’ “A World of Song” on Sunday.

“This concert definitely did not disappoint,” Halteman, a freshman and member of the Concert Choir, said. “Being able to perform for the first time inside the Hendricks Chapel for a full concert, it was full circle.”

University Singers is SU’s premier choir consisting of 38 upperclassmen and graduate students. Along with the Concert Choir of the Setnor School of Music, they performed pieces from “Underneath the Stars” and “Timor et Tremor” at the annual fall choral concert as part of Malmgren Concert Series. The theme of this year’s concert is “A World of Song,” which highlights different languages and time periods.

The series started as a way for SU to reach community members and celebrate the arts, Anne Laver, the Malmgren Series’ artistic director, said. The series was made possible by a gift from SU alumna Esther Malmgren in 1991.

The choir typically performs a challenging musical repertoire, with some pieces in other languages. The 61-student Concert Choir is not audition based and requires no prior experience.

The two choirs had prepared for Sunday’s concert since the beginning of the semester, Laver said. Wendy Moy, Concert Choir conductor, and John Warren, University Singers conductor, carefully selected the featured songs over the summer.

The conductors wanted to expose their students to a plethora of musical styles and composers, Laver said. Some of the songs date back to the 16th century, while others were written during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Another priority for the conductors was picking songs that highlight different voices and backgrounds. The choral division within the Setnor School Music is dedicated to creating a diverse group of composers, Laver said. The concert featured women composers and composers of color.

The songs selected for this concert contain an incredible amount of emotion, Halteman said. Some focus on joy and happiness while others contained themes of despair and uncertainty.

“The theme really is overcoming challenges and making joy a part of your life and trying to spread that joy,” Halteman said.

Joshua Garvin, a senior and University Singers member, hopes audience members relax while attending the concert. He wants attendees to come in and not think about what’s behind them or ahead of them. The music reminds listeners they have a power to choose peace and happiness, he said.

The rehearsal process has spanned the entire semester and was a significant time commitment to those involved, Halteman said. The show’s music was harder than what Halteman had previously been exposed to, she said. She appreciated the guidance of the University Singers throughout this process.

“It really is such a family and such a strong community,” Halteman said. “It was really incredible to get to interact with (University Singers) and be able to make music with them.”

Sunday’s concert reaffirmed the idea that music is both an equalizer and healer, Ryan Myers, a senior and University Singers member, said. Amid current political division and global inequality, music can help bring listeners together and heal them from these issues, he said.

As a senior, Garvin said he hopes to be present throughout every moment of the concert. He wants himself and his fellow musicians to enjoy the opportunity of spreading the power of music.

“As an artist, as a musician, as a storyteller of things that can’t always be told, I hope we can just have a good time and sing,” Garvin said.

Myers said he feels blessed and privileged to be around a group of extremely talented musicians like those in the University Singers, especially as a non-music major.

“This choir has reinforced my belief that I want to be involved in music my whole life,” Myers said. “I hope to find another choral environment half as good as University Singers after I graduate.”

Published on November 17, 2024 at 10:00 pm