The halls of Crowell Music Building echo with singing from the Biola University Chorale. Dr. Shawna Stewart, director of Chorale, and the 40 singers of the ensemble eagerly prepare for the various concerts and music festivals they will perform this year.
UPCOMING CHORALE CONCERTS
The chorale’s first performance will be the Biola Choral Ensembles concert on Nov. 5, featuring a repertoire of six songs, one of which is a French song by Joshua Shank, “Ma Boheme.”
“Ma Boheme is rhythmically fun,” Stewart said. “It’s a huge challenge because we sing it in French, and it’s been a long time since we’ve sung a song in French. It’s a complex language to speak.”
Other songs in their repertoire are “Get Away, Jordan,” a concert spiritual arranged by Stacey V. Gibbs, and “Hymn of Ancient Lands” by Australian composer Joe Twist.
“[Hymn of Ancient Lands] takes all kinds of unexpected twists and turns and features a stunning soprano solo,” Stewart said.
The chorale will also perform traditional Christmas music such as Randol Bass’s “Gloria” in the Conservatory Christmas Concert on Dec. 9. It will be held at the La Mirada Civic Theater and will feature various other Conservatory ensembles — Symphonic Winds, Orchestra, University Chorus and more.
In addition to these concerts, the chorale also anticipates several music festivals in November.
“We are looking forward to hosting three festivals in November,” said Stewart. “One is an invitational High School Chamber Choir Festival. We also have an invitational Community College Festival, and we also host an invitational Christian College Festival.”
Around 700 singers total will come to sing on campus from Nov. 2-4, with the majority being prospective students. The chorale has hosted these festivals for more than 40 years.
PERFORMING AT THE WESTERN REGION CONFERENCE 2024
Stewart is looking forward to preparing the chorale for their third appearance at the American Choral Directors Association Western Region conference in March 2024.
“We’re really gearing up our entire year to [this conference],” Stewart said.
After a competitive audition process, out of a six-state region, the chorale was chosen as one of three collegiate choirs to perform at this conference alongside California State University Fullerton University Singers and Riverside City College’s Chamber Singers. This conference will be held in Pasadena, California.
“To date, we are still the only Christian college ever to have been selected to perform at a Western Region conference,” Stewart said. “I am extremely grateful that God has given us a platform to share what’s happening at Biola in the conservatory, and more importantly, to share our hearts for Jesus through music in both sacred and secular pieces.”
For further information on the Biola Chorale’s concert performances this fall, check out their events page.
