The Washington State University Concert Choir and Symphony Orchestra will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in Bryan Hall Auditorium.
The choir, directed by Lori Wiest, and orchestra, directed by L. Keating Johnson, will perform “Dona Nobis Pacem,” composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The piece is a cantata written in six movements for soprano and baritone soloists with chorus and orchestra. The piece includes poetry by Walt Whitman, a section of a public speech by John Bright and biblical quotations. Soloists include Dr. Julie Anne Wieck, a WSU voice faculty member, and Ben Gudgeon, a graduate student studying vocal performance.
Vaughn Williams is cited as one of the most important English composers of his generation and a key figure in English music of the twentieth century. He is well known for the revival of English folk songs; his arrangements are still published and performed today by many students and professional musicians.
The choir, too, will perform three movements from the “Mass in G,” composed by Vaughn Williams.
Also featured in the program is the University Singers, directed by John Weiss, performing a selection of choral pieces including two by Greg Yasinitsky, WSU faculty composer, and others by Thomas Morley, Franz Schubert, Francis Nesta and Ludwig Beethoven. The pieces will feature WSU soloist Jamie Miller.
The concert is open to the public and admission is free.
