Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents the SOU Chamber Choir and SOU Concert Choir performing “Songs of Passion”

(Ashland, Ore.) – The Music program of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University presents the SOU Chamber Choir and SOU Concert Choir, under the direction of Dr. Paul French and Dr. Martin Majkut of the Rogue Valley Symphony, performing “Songs of Passion” on Sunday, March 15 at 3:00 p.m. in the SOU Music Recital Hall.
“This will be a lovely concert, full of lyrical melodies, passionate poetry, and lush romantic harmonies,” said French. The concert program of the SOU Chamber Choir includes “You are the New Day” by John David and arranged by Peter Knight. According to French, the arrangement of “You are the New Day” was made popular by the internationally-known singing group, the Kings Singers.
“Lasciate mi Morire” by Claudio Monteverdi is a passionate song of unrequited love sung by Ariana when abandoned by Theseus. Based on the poetry of Ovid, it is the only extant music from an opera by Monteverdi and is one of the most famous pieces of music of the early Baroque period.
French describes “Dieu! Qu’il la Fait bon Regarder!” by Claude Debussy as “one of Debussy’s only choral works, similar in style to ‘Afternoon of a Faun’ in his use of lush, luxuriant harmonies. Roughly translated the text says ‘Oh my God is she beautiful!’ This is one of the most popular pieces of choral music in French.”
“Love at the Lips,” by local composer Jodi French, is based on the poetry of Robert Frost. The SOU Chamber Choir portion of the concert will conclude with “Even When He is Silent,” a 2011 composition by Kim André Arnesen, and “Three by Langston; New Moon, Luck and Joy” by Ricky Ian Gordon.
The SOU Concert Choir will perform a broad range of music including works by Franz Schubert, American composer Erik Whitacre, Bela Bartok and Renaissance love songs.
Tickets are $10, $5 senior and free to full-time students. The Performing Arts Box Office is located in the Music Recital Hall lobby. Box office hours are noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and two hours prior to each performance. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at sou.edu/performingarts. Contact the box office for discounts offered to SOU alumni, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute participants and SNAP/Oregon Trail cardholders.
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.
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