The Auburn Plainsman Online

Non-profit group teaches, sings with Auburn Concert Choir
By Caty Houston
Staff Writer

CONTRIBUTED

Members of the Goliard Southeastern Music Festival accompanied the Auburn Concert Choir in a performance Thursday.

Voices from New York and Auburn joined together, taking the audience on a choral experience from the Renaissance to modern times on Oct. 29.

The 110-voice Auburn Concert Choir accompanied the Goliard Southeastern Music Festival in performing a variety of chamber music pieces and portions of Handel's Messiah at Lakeview Baptist Church.

Now in its ninth season, the Goliard Southeastern Music Festival is sponsored by Goliard Concerts, a New York-based non-profit corporation.

The group is on a three-week tour of the Southeast region performing concerts, master classes, workshops and school programs. It spent two days teaching and singing with Auburn's Concert Choir.

Shauna Wilkins, Goliard's assistant administrator, said Goliard's objective is to bring hands-on experience to communities.

"Our musicians put themselves in a situation very close-up with people to create an intimate interactive setting," Wilkins said. "People have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the different medians being performed."

Wilkins said the goals of Goliard are to perform diverse programming for an audience who regularly does not get to experience musical variety. When not on tour, the Goliard performers are involved in outreach programs around the Queens area of New York, where its headquarters is located.

"We bring a wide range of music and make it accessible for the average audience," she said.

"We provide opportunities for the audience to become familiar with different kinds of music and to learn about instruments and performers."

The professional musicians on the tour are Croatian composer and guitar-lutanist Srdjan Berdovic, tenor Jim Blaton, mezzo-soprano Marie Ann Chenevey, pianist Carmel Lowenthal and cellist Lawrence Zoernig.

Thomas R. Smith, a professor of music and director of Auburn's choral programs, said it was exciting and educational to have these experienced and professional musicians at Auburn.

Smith said the Goliard musicians held master classes with voice students on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Students were able to ask questions and the musicians critiqued their performance.

The instrumentalists for the Goliard ensemble also taught music history.

Smith said the Goliard ensemble likes to bring the music to the people. He said students responded well to its visit.

"The Goliard group was very encouraging and supportive of our singers and students," Smith said. "They were very complimentary, yet, at the same time they offered suggestions to help students in their development."

Will Whittaker, a senior in music education, said he enjoyed having the musicians come.

"Everything went well. They're really good and really professional," Smith said. "It was a huge honor to sing with them."

Whittaker said the musicians were encouraging and positive.

"They made us feel really good and that we were doing well," he said. "They were so excited about everything that went on. With all the cuts in our department, we needed something positive.

"It was our goal to do the best we could possibly do to show Auburn how hard we work."

The Auburn Concert Choir's next performance is its annual Fall Choral Concert. It will be on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 2:30 p.m. at Lakeview Baptist Church. Participating in the concert will be the Concert Choir, Men's Chorus and Women's Chorus.