EMU choirs to road trip this spring

The Eastern Mennonite University University Choir and Emulate Chamber Ensemble have announced a March spring break tour to Ohio and Indiana.

“Touring allows students the opportunity to build long lasting connections with fellow choral singers as well as contribute to the performance of choral masterworks and new compositions to numerous church congregations and high school students,” said Professor Ryan Keebaugh, who is leading the tour. “Also, a tour allows the ensemble the perfect occasion to recruit and reflect EMU’s commitment, reshape and enhance community connections, and bear witness to the life, mission, and ethos of the university.”

Their programs will include pieces by Randall Thompson, Eric Nelson, Moses Hogan and A.R. Rahman. Both groups will also premiere choral works by juniors Elliot Bowen and Kaleb Branner.

The tour will include six public performances:

Sunday, March 3:

• Maple Grove Mennonite Church, Hartville, Ohio, 10:30 a.m.
• Walnut Hills Retirement Community, Walnut Creek, Ohio, 4 p.m.
• Berlin Mennonite Church, Berlin, Ohio, 7 p.m.

Monday, March 4:

• Waterford Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 5:

• Greencroft Community Center, Goshen, Indiana, 2:30 p.m.
• Zion Mennonite Church, Archbold, Ohio, 7 p.m.

The choirs will also perform at Central Christian School in Kidron and Bethany Christian Schools in Goshen.

The University Choir, which includes approximately 50 students (up from 37 last spring), will be touring with 43 members, with a subset* of 13 students comprising Emulate:

• Folasade Arasanyin, a junior from Harrisonburg, Virginia, majoring in music (interdisciplinary studies);
• *Asha Beck, a junior from Linville, Virginia, majoring in digital media and communication;
• Emily Bennett, a first-year student from Harleysville, Pennsylvania, majoring in mathematics;
• Yoel Bobadilla, a junior from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, majoring in art;
• Elliot Bowen, a junior from Canton, Ohio, majoring in environmental sustainability with an environmental science concentration;
• Kaleb Branner, a junior from Churchville, Virginia, majoring in music performance;
• Robert Chaplin, Jr., a senior from Buena Vista, Virginia, majoring in music;
• Hochol (David) Chun, a junior from Suwon, South Korea, majoring in biology;
• Bruce Cypress, a senior from Smithfield, Virginia, majoring in music (interdisciplinary studies);
• Elizabeth Eby, a sophomore from Goshen, Indiana, majoring in peacebuilding and development
• Benjamin Greenleaf, a sophomore from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, majoring in accounting;
• Daniel Hackman, a junior from Lansdale, Pennsylvania, majoring in engineering;
• Daniel Harder, a sophomore from Butterfield, Minnesota, majoring in computer science;
• Jareya Harder, a sophomore from Butterfield, Minnesota;
• *Joshua Holsapple, a senior from Bridgewater, Virginia, majoring in English;
• Jacob Horsley, a sophomore from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, majoring in engineering;
• Stephanie Kniss, a first-year student from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, majoring in writing studies;
• Hannah Leaman, a sophomore from Bakersfield, California, majoring in mathematics;
• Philia Lienardy, a sophomore from Semarang, Indonesia, majoring in digital media and music interdisciplinary studies;
• *Isaac Longacre, a first-year student from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, majoring in music;
• Katlyn Lucas, a sophomore from Stanley, Virginia, majoring in nursing;
• Evangeline Lupanov, a junior from Timberville, Virginia, majoring in recreational leadership and sports studies;
• *Rachel Lute, a sophomore from New Market, Virginia, majoring in liberal arts;
• *Ally Mankamyer, a first-year student from Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, majoring in mathematics;
• Kyle Miller, a sophomore from Millersburg, Ohio, majoring in computer science;
• *Luke Mullet, a senior from Berlin, Ohio, majoring in mathematics;
• Jacob Myers, a first-year student from Archbold, Ohio, majoring in Bible, religion and theology;
• *Joshua Overacker, a sophomore from Mount Crawford, Virginia, majoring in music;
• Heather Ralls, a sophomore from Linden, Virginia, majoring in nursing;
• *Anna Ressler, a senior from Apple Creek, Ohio, majoring in psychology;
• *Sarah Ressler, a junior from Apple Creek, Ohio, majoring in liberal arts;
• *Partha Roy, a first-year student from Takoma Park, Maryland;
• *Joseph Seitz, a first-year student from Harrisonburg, Virginia;
• Joshua Sheppard, a first-year student from Maidens, Virginia, majoring in engineering;
• Bethany Shultz, a first-year student from Harrisonburg, Virginia, majoring in liberal arts;
• Andrew Stoltzfus, a sophomore from Harrisonburg, Virginia, majoring in nursing;
• May Swe, a first-year student from Yangon, Myanmar, majoring in peacebuilding and development;
• Avery Trinh, a sophomore from Columbia, Maryland, majoring in psychology;
• Andrea Troyer, a sophomore from Harrisonburg, Virginia, majoring in environmental sustainability with an environmental science concentration;
• Laura Troyer, a sophomore from Millersburg, Ohio, majoring in engineering;
• *Leah Wenger, a junior from Broadway, Virginia, majoring in psychology and music;
• *Lucas Wenger, a junior from Harrisonburg, Virginia; and
• Verda Zook, a sophomore from Dalton, Ohio, majoring in accounting.