Catawba College Singers and Chamber Singers Present Fall Concert

The Catawba College Singers and the Chamber Singers will present their Fall Concert at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 7 in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. The Singers, under the direction of Dr. Jim Shepherd, Catawba's director of choral music and assistant professor of music, will offer a variety of chor... The Catawba College Singers and the Chamber Singers will present their Fall Concert at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 7 in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. The Singers, under the direction of Dr. Jim Shepherd, Catawba's director of choral music and assistant professor of music, will offer a variety of choral music during the program, including American Folk, Gospel, Classical, Traditional, Contemporary, and Multi-cultural selections. ;

Shepherd notes that Gary Walth's upbeat "Two Japanese Proverbs" will mesmerize the audience with its complex rhythms and motives, while "Ballade to the Moon" by Dan Elder will explore lush and subtle harmonies. The Linda Spevacek arrangement of the classic African-American Spiritual "Deep River" will move the audience with its uplifting text and palpable emotion.

With Randy Newman's pop hit, "Short People," Shepherd says the audience and the 35-member Singers will have a bit of fun with the tune's ten-part harmony and a few funny moments. Other selections include the timeless Renaissance standards, "O Magnum Mysterium" by Victoria and "Weep O Mine Eyes" by John Bent, the mischievous "Deamon Irrepit Callidus" by Orban, and the gospel classic, "Praise His Holy Name. " Pianist Jacob Hahn will accompany the Singers during the concert that is free and open to the public.

"Our choir is sounding fantastic, and I hope the Catawba College and Rowan-Salisbury communities will join us for a wonderful program of music,"  Shepherd adds.

Shepherd joined Catawba in August at the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. He comes to Catawba from Concord University in Athens, West Virginia, where he served during the 2011-2012 academic year as assistant professor and director of choral and vocal music. He also served from 2006 until 2011 as associate professor and director of choral and vocal music at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.

He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and his Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Morehead State University in Morehead, Kentucky. He holds his Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas.

He is active in professional organizations including American Choral Directors Association, College Music Society, Music Educators National Conference (NafME), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Educators Association, West Virginia Choral Directors Association, and the National Collegiate Choral Organization, of which he is an inaugural member.

The Catawba Singers and Chamber Singers' next concert will be Catawba's 25th annual Service of Lessons and Carols slated for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 29 in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.

The Catawba College Singers include: Sopranos Gabriella Bressi of Villanova, Pa., Martha Brucker of Kings Mt., Brittany Coley of Concord, Chelsea Retalic of Concord, Blanche Schwarz of Statesville, and Madeline Wyatt of Kannapolis; Altos Amelia Baity of Hamptonville, A'Shantee' Dawson of Hickory, Morgan Griffin of China Grove, Megan Loveall of Fuquay-Varina, Jubilee Meehan of Kannapolis, and Ashley O'Donnell of Rehoboth Beach, Del.; Tenor A.J. Gruenewald of Falls Church, Va.; and Basses Duane Beckley of Salisbury, Daniel Brown of Chinquapin, Jordan Clifton of Raleigh, and Ashton Tibbitt of Sanford.

The Catawba Chamber Singers, whose members also participate in the Catawba Singers, include: Sopranos Rachel Abbatiello of Midland, Aubrey Barton of Salisbury, Spencer Ann Bowden of Salisbury, and Michelle Chafee of Holly Springs; Altos Allison Andrews of Sherrills Ford, Hannah Lee of Fuquay Varina, Shannon O'Donnell of Land O' Lakes, Fla., and Quashona Smith of Atlantic City, N.J.; Tenors Pen Chance of Augusta, Ga., Jacob Jester of China Grove, Patrick Moore of Concord, Dustin Shelton of Kannapolis, and Ryan Walker of Alexandria, Va.; Basses Dallas Banks of Lexington, Shaun Cammack of Lake Toxaway, Abiye Fubara of Anger, Richard Lugo of Virginia Beach, Va., and Cole McDonnell of Scranton, Pa.


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Catawba College Singers and Chamber Singers Present Fall Concert

The Catawba College Singers and Chamber Singers will present a wide repertoire of songs during their Fall Concert, slated for 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 2 in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. This will be the first formal concert of the academic year for the Singers who are directed by Catawba's new Dir...

The Catawba College Singers and Chamber Singers will present a wide repertoire of songs during their Fall Concert, slated for 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 2 in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. This will be the first formal concert of the academic year for the Singers who are directed by Catawba's new Director of Choral Music, Justin Hazelgrove.

From the 20-member Chamber Singers, selections to be offered during the Fall Concert include "Earth Song" by Frank Ticheli; "El Grillo" and "Salve Regina" by Josquin Desprez; and "Jauchezet dem Herrn alle Welt" (Psalm 100) by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. The 33-member Catawba Singers, which includes the members of the Chamber Singers, will offer "Rytmus" by Ivan Hrušovský; "Sicut Cervus" by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina; "Over Havet" by Dan Forrest, featuring soprano soloist Michelle Chaffee of Holly Springs; "Sure On This Shining Night" by Morten Lauridsen; and "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord" arranged by Moses Hogan. Pianist Jacob Hahn will accompany the Singers during the concert.

Hazelgrove praised the Singers for their work in preparing for the Fall Concert. He noted that concertgoers can expect the same vocal strength and range from the Singers that they have displayed in recent years. "Those who join us won't be disappointed," he said. "These students have been extremely dedicated in their preparation for this concert and continue to have a strong commitment to excellence that earned them a place in one of these two groups."

Hazelgrove joined Catawba at the beginning of this academic year. He is a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and currently serves as assistant conductor of Bel Canto Company in Greensboro and interim director of choral music at Centenary United Methodist Church in Greensboro.

A native of Mechanicsville, Va., Hazelgrove earned his Bachelor of Music degree, with a concentration in voice and conducting, from The College of William and Mary in 2006. At The College of William and Mary, he was the recipient of numerous scholarships based on his excellent academic record and his excellence in music study and performance. He was awarded his Master of Music degree from UNC Greensboro in 2008, and while there received a competitive tuition waiver and stipend for his doctoral study. Hazelgrove was named a Regionalist in 2010 NCNATS competition.

The Catawba Chamber Singers and Catawba Singers' next concert will be the Service of Lessons and Carols performance slated for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 1 in Omwake-Dearborn Chapel.

The Catawba College Chamber Singers include: Sopranos Rachel Abbatiello of Midland, Aubrey Barton of Salisbury, Spencer Ann Bowden of Salisbury and Michelle Chafee of Holly Springs; Altos Alicia Almodovar of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., Allison Andrews of Salisbury, Katie Carpenter of Hickory, Kara Procell of Belaire, Md., and Quashona Smith of Atlantic City, N.J.; Tenors Rashad Brown of Atlantic City, N.J., Pen Chance of Augusta, Ga., Jacob Jester of China Grove, Brent Messenger of Kannapolis, Patrick Moore of Concord, and Dustin Shelton of Kannapolis. Basses Dallas Banks of Lexington, Brad Boaz of Gastonia, Jordan Clifton of Raleigh, Jurá Davis of Charlotte and Cole McDonnell of Scranton, Pa.

The Catawba Singers, which incorporates members of the Catawba Chamber Singers, also includes Sopranos Gabriella Bressi of Villanova, Pa., Dominique Clarke of Brooklyn, N.Y., Brittany Coley of Concord, Ashley O'Donnell of Rehoboth Beach, Del., Chelsea Retalic of Concord, and Blanche Schwarz of Statesville; Altos Amelia Baity of Hamptonville, Sara Coon of Dallas, Texas, Arsherres Jenkins of Lexington, Megan Loveall of Fuquay-Varina, and Jubilee Meehan of Kannapolis; Tenors Rayshaun Sandlin of Knightdale and Jesse Siak of Hendersonville; Basses Matthew Blaker of Concord and Ashton Tibbitt of Sanford.


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