Blooming Spring Choral Concert!

By Melissa Valentovic
SC Staff Writer

The spring choral concert featuring ESU’s Student A Cappella Ensemble and the Community Concert Choir was at the Cecilia S. Cohen Recital Hall at East Stroudsburg University on April 29 at 7:30 PM.

Under the direction of music professor, Dr. James Maroney, the evening kicked off with the a cappella ensemble.

The ensemble, comprised of ESU students only, performed seven pieces without any instrumental music behind them.

As soon as I heard the ensemble sing the opening song, “Come Again! Sweet Love Doth Now Invite,” I got goose bumps.

The performance had a formal tone to it, with the girls donning elegant black floor-length gowns and the boys wearing black suits.

The singers were so dynamic in their sound and volume that they did not need any instrumental backing.

Before beginning their closing song, “Soon-Ah Will Be Done,” Maroney exclaimed to the audience how this was the students’ favorite song to perform.

Before the students even performed it, they received a standing ovation from the audience.

Following the booming crescendo as the song ended, the audience once again rose to their feet, moved by the performance.

After intermission, the Community Concert Choir consisting of over sixty members combining ESU students and members from the community started off their performance with a piece entitled, “With a Voice of Singing.”

A couple of the songs of the evening, (as well as one in the A Cappella performance) were sung in other languages such as, French, Slovak and one Russian piece entitled, “Oy, polna, polna korobushka.”

ESU freshman, Chloe Parise, who has been singing since she could talk, said, “Singing in another language is just like English once you get the correct pronunciations down.”

Following her performance, Parise said with a smile, “When I perform in front of a crowd it’s where I feel alive and where I feel like I belong.”

One song that stood out to one audience member, freshman Helen Burdeau was, “Duerme Negrito,” the spiritual piece the concert choir performed, which Maroney introduced to the audience as a lullaby to a young child.

What made the song, Burdeau said, was soloist Lauren Sarnese.

Burdeau also appreciated the variety of songs the choir performed, saying that it was “what made the show so interesting to watch and listen to.”

Before the choir performed their final song, “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” Maroney recognized the community members for their many years of dedication to the ensemble.

Some of which have been singing with the concert choir since 2001.

ESU junior Bari Antell, performed with the choir for the first time in two years, which she said was a great performance.

Antell, who is a soprano, said that if that was her last performance, she is “glad it was with great people,” then added, “If my choir career was over tonight, then I am glad it ended this way.”

Email Melissa at:
mvalentovi@live.esu.edu