Choir Performs a Musical Tribute for President Cole
A Cali School surprise previews 鈥楳usic for Our Time & Place鈥
Posted in: University
The 精品成人福利在线 University Singers recently surprised retiring President Susan A. Cole with a farewell concert in the Red Hawk parking deck. A tribute to her 23 years of leadership, it was also the first choral concert performed for a live audience on campus in more than a year.
But the concert itself wasn鈥檛 the only unexpected gift: Cole also enjoyed the world premiere of a composition written in her honor by Associate Professor of Composition Theory/Aural Skills Aaron Helgeson. 鈥淭he Next Day鈥 was performed by the University Singers, conducted by Heather J. Buchanan, director of Choral Activities.
A Cali School Masterful Musings conversation with Cole was the genesis of the piece, Helgeson says. 鈥淪he gave us some incredible insight into leadership, legacy, education, our humanity and a little bit about her own life.鈥
Inspired and moved by Cole鈥檚 revelation about the impact that the Irving Berlin musical聽Annie Get Your Gun聽had on her as a girl, Helgeson relistened to the score and 鈥渨as absolutely floored by its relevance to the moment right now 鈥 getting through hard times, loving something you’ve put your heart into, the difficulty in leaving and the thrill of what comes next.鈥
The result: 鈥淭he Next Day,鈥 which expounds on the can-do spirit of聽Annie Get Your Gun鈥檚 showstopper song 鈥淭here鈥檚 No Business Like Show Business,鈥 as well as the lyrical fragment 鈥測ou鈥檙e broken-hearted, but you go on.鈥
鈥淚t was extraordinary,鈥 says John J. Cali School of Music Director Anthony J. Mazzocchi. 鈥淎aron gave Dr. Cole a copy of the score to follow along while they sang, and there weren’t many dry eyes in the room. That was really something special.鈥
鈥淭he Next Day鈥 will be performed via live-stream along with all the music featured in the surprise concert for President Cole at the聽2021 Choral Spring Concert “Music for Our Time & Place”聽featuring performances by three choirs 鈥 Red Hawk Chorale, Virtual Chorale and University Singers 鈥 June 11, 8 p.m. through聽Cali Live.
Story by Staff Writer Mary Barr Mann. Video by Christo Apostolou. Photos by Mike Peters
