On the evening of Nov. 3, singers from the Biola University Chorus and Biola Chorale gathered in Lansing Recital Hall to present their 2024 concert, “Everlasting Joy.” Throughout the evening, many beautiful and poignant songs were performed, encompassing hymns, romantic songs and sacred music.
This article will feature a student conductor from the performance, as well as provide an overview of the performance afterwards.
STUDENT CONDUCTOR: HANNAH FACKLER
Hannah Fackler, a junior music performance major with a double concentration in piano and voice, described her experience conducting in the concert as a challenging yet fulfilling experience. As this was her first time being a student conductor, she had to learn and improve constantly.
“Over summer break, I spent extensive time studying the score — learning all the parts and how they fit together and making decisions on what I wanted for my interpretation of it,” Fackler said, describing her efforts after she chose to conduct “Voice of Oceans.” “I was extremely excited for the opportunity to be a student conductor for the first time in my life, and I think that excitement and passion for the music really motivated me to study the music hard and prepare myself to teach it as well as possible,” she said.
She described how she would record every time she rehearsed with the University Chorus so she could watch herself in order to improve. She was awed and grateful for her faculty member and other conductors, such as Tebay, who gave her time and advice.
As a first-time conductor, she found it difficult to teach a large group of her peers.
“I have always found it difficult to be comfortable talking, much less teaching, in front of a large group of people, especially peers, so it was initially very challenging for me to be clear and focused in rehearsals and not get lost inside my own head,” Fackler said.
She wanted to do her best to be a director who made everyone feel included, but it was challenging to learn how to teach the music in an interesting way for everyone. However, despite the difficulties, Fackler enjoyed the opportunity to bond with the choir and make music with her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
“A big turning point in our preparations for the concert was actually the University Chorus retreat,” Fackler said. “At this retreat, I got the chance to connect personally with many of the students in the choir and make some friends. I also was so happy for the opportunity for them to get to know me a little more, instead of me just being an impersonal face they see up in the front for 10 minutes each rehearsal and at the piano as one of the rehearsal accompanists.”
After that retreat, Fackler said that she felt so much more warmth and connection during rehearsals and that she felt joy at being able to see the chorus enjoying the music-making.
UNIVERSITY CHORUS
John Tebay, the University Chorus director, began the night reflecting on the beauty of gathering and listening to music and singing praises to God. He declared, “We are going to lift our voices to God in praise.”
The first song, “Sing Joyfully Unto God” by William Byrd, perfectly encapsulated Tebay’s message. The song was a musical rendition of Psalm 81:1-4, the words sung in a clear and uplifting voice.
“Voice of the Oceans,” by Amber R. Maxwell, Greg Nelson and Daniel Bondaczuk, was conducted by student conductor Hannah Fackler. The song is a story of faith represented by a ship in a restless sea, as the subject speaks of the hope of seeing heaven day by day.
Following this was an American folk song titled “Nine Hundred Miles.” Arranged by Philip E. Silvey, the song is a sad, longing piece about a person far from home, walking on a train track.
After that, student conductor Fuji Cabrito conducted “The Pasture,” by Z. Randall Stroope. While seemingly about two individuals talking about their chores, Tebay described the song as a “wonderful love story,” portrayed by all the female voices and all the male voices in the chorus doing a call-and-response dynamic.
“Sweet Rivers,” by Shawn Kirchner and “Music Down in My Soul,” arranged by Moses Hogan, followed and were performed previously at Biola’s 32nd Annual PRISM Concert last month. Both songs convey excitement. However, the first one is about “the excitement of saying, yes, I want to step in the river of God,” while the second song is about the joy of the Lord, according to Tebay.
BIOLA CHORALE
The Biola Chorale was next up on stage, where they began with three songs in a row. “Surge, Propera Amica Mea” by Raphaella Aleotti was a Latin musical rendition of Song of Solomon 2:13-14, where the chorale was split into two to portray the call and response between the two lovers in the book. “Adoramus Te, Christe,” a Latin song by Claudio Monteverdi, sings of the adoration of Christ Jesus who redeems the entire world with his blood. “Come to Me” by Rafael Sánchz was an English lyrical rendition of Matthew 11:28-30, where Christ calls the heavy laden to rest in him.
After applause, the chorale continued with the German song “No. 1 Sehnsucht” by Johannes Brahms, which was conducted by assistant conductor John Monk. The next song was “In Love with You” by Alex Powell, a dreamy, romantic song.
The concert ended with two songs which were previously performed at the PRISM concert: “Dixit in Corde Suo” by Levente Gyöngyösi and “Plaudite, Psallite” by Kestutis Daugirdas.
