Vocal festival aims to reach audience through narrative
Most performers soak up applause, right? During Capital University’s annual Christmas Festival, the school’s vocal ensembles are the exception to the rule.
The 170 singers and 25 accompanists who perform in the concerts — including members of the Chapel Choir, Choral Union, Women’s Chorus, Chordsmen, and Philomel, an a capella ensemble — hope to move audiences to reflect on the meaning of their music.
To that end, applause between songs is largely discouraged.
“It’s disruptive; it’s not a musical sound,” said director of choral activities Lynda Hasseler, who will conduct the concerts Thursday through Sunday in Mees Hall.
“If someone were reading a bedtime story, or if it were a book reading, generally speaking there is not applause inserted in the midst of that,” Hasseler said. “And I consider this to be a story — and a really important story.”
The “story” woven Who: Capital University Chapel Choir, Choral Union, Women’s Chorus, Chordsmen and Philomel What: “Abide With Us: Capital University Christmas Festival 2018” Where: Capital University, Mees Hall, College Avenue at East Main Street, Bexley Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and 3:30 p.m. Sunday Contact: www.capital.edu/ christmas-festival Tickets: $35
through this year’s festival is suggested in its title: “Abide With Us” (a reference to the title of “Abide With Me,” a hymn by William Henry Monk).
“(Hasseler) choosing ‘Abide With Us’ is a message that we need to work together to make the world a better place,” said Dakotah Sellers, a 21-year-old senior who sings in the Chapel Choir and in Philomel. “In the Bible, that’s the big message.”
The theme, Sellers said, is timely in light of disagreements and divisions in society today.
“In recent years, there’s been such a divide in our society, whether it’s political or otherwise,” Sellers said. “Instead of abiding with people, we’re just writing them off and not giving them a chance.”
In addition to “Abide With Me” — the first hymn sung in the concert — the choirs will perform other relevant pieces, including the contemporary carol “Softly” by Will Todd and the 1961 pop hit “Stand by Me.”
“I love mixing it up musically in that way,” Hasseler said of choosing the latter song. “The message is not time-sensitive.”
The carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” Hasseler said, merits inclusion due to its final verses: “O come to us, abide with us / Our Lord Emmanuel.”
Other highlights include Mack Wilberg’s arrangement of “The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy,” a piece described by Hasseler as “a real production number.”
“(Wilberg) is associated with Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and so when he writes a production number, you have to picture those hundreds of singers,” Hasseler said. “It’s a traditional West Indian song, so it’s got a lot of character — steel drums.”
Yet the concert will wrap up with Todd’s “Stay With Me, Lord,” a rich yet contemplative work.
“It’s always a little bit of a risk because, of course, the traditional thing to do in a concert is to end with some kind of showstopper,” Hasseler said. “This is a showstopper — it’s just a different kind. It’s more quiet, reverent, internalized commitment to abide and stay.”
Indeed, the piece is in keeping with the point of the program — to do more than simply entertain audiences.
“Surely there will be an element of entertainment in any concert, but I want to send them into the Christmas season in particular with some kind of enduring message that they can try out,” Hasseler said.
And trust the performers: Applause is not necessary — at least until the concert is over.
“They can really just focus on the experience versus communicating their gratitude in the form of applause,” Hasseler said. “That can wait until the end.”