AU Choir

Four ensembles performing at Winter Choral Concert on Sunday

Published on Feb. 22, 2022
Arts and Culture

ASHLAND, Ohio – Ashland University’s annual Winter Choral Concert will be held this coming Sunday, Feb. 27, featuring four ensembles: the Ashland University Choir, the Women’s Chorus, the Chamber Singers and the Ashland Area Chorus. The performance, taking place at Jack and Deb Miller Chapel, begins at 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The University Choir, conducted by Rowland Blackley, director of choral activities and professor of music at AU, and guest guitarist Adam Keeler will perform “A Procession Winding Around Me.” A multi-movement piece, consisting of four Civil War poems by Jeffrey Van, the dramatic and sensitive music for chorus and classical guitar utilizes many novel techniques to express the poetry.

The Women’s Chorus will be conducted by Abigail Helbling, an adjunct instructor at AU, and has three works with pianist Deborah Logan on the program. The highlight may be “There Has to Be a Song” by Andrea Ramsey, as it will feature senior Bethany Double as a soloist.

The Chamber Singers, a select choir of 12, will be led by Blackley and include Logan on the piano. They will perform two mid-20th century choral standards, “Six Chansons” by Paul Hindemith and “Wedding Cantata” by Daniel Pinkham.

The Ashland Area Chorus, a mix of students and community members also conducted by Blackley, will be accompanied by organist Timothy Guenther and share four sacred anthems from four different traditions. The set will start with Ned Rorem’s “Sing, My Soul” and close with John Ferguson’s “The Lord’s My Shepherd.”

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.