Classic and local composers showcased at annual Spring Concert
Providence College proudly presents an evening of entertainment and edification, as the music department puts on their annual Spring Concert. The concert will be held on March 29 at the Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church in Steinbach. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.
“The concert provides student of the music program the opportunity to perform the fruits of their labour, as well as perfect their performance skills”, said Dr. Henry Schellenberg, the director of the Providence College Chamber Singers, “This concert is particularly special as the singers prepare for their European Tour.” The singers will be spending three weeks sharing their music this spring as they tour Europe.
The concert will feature a piece by Joseph Haydn, honouring his work on the 200th anniversary year of his death. The 30 member Providence Chamber Singers will also be performing musical selections from the renaissance period and the 20th century, including gospel, spirituals, and an African piece.
“This year is unique in that we are showcasing a great deal of local talent, from both Providence and the surrounding area,” said Dr. Schellenberg. Performing at the concert will be the Providence Jazz ensemble, directed by Matt Neufeld, a Providence alumnus and current music student at the University of Manitoba. Also performing will be the guitar ensemble, the brass quintet, and the Vivace quintet, which is a unique combination of flute, violin, euphonium, and piano.
The concert will not only be a performance for the local community, but a performance with the community; the chamber singers will be joined by the Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church Choir.
“Another exciting happening at the concert is the performance of a piece composed by Providence’s Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition, Karen Sunabacka. The text is the often quoted passage from Jeremiah 29:11-12, and we will be premiering this newly commissioned piece. We will also have music from other local and Canadian composers,” explained Schellenberg, “It will be an evening of entertainment and enlightenment as we offer both secular and sacred music.”
The concert will be held Saturday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church in Steinbach. The public is warmly invited and admission is free.
