{"id":25872,"date":"2015-11-04T11:00:47","date_gmt":"2015-11-04T16:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=25872"},"modified":"2015-11-16T13:23:42","modified_gmt":"2015-11-16T18:23:42","slug":"annual-gala-concert-features-rare-opportunity-to-hear-concert-selections-from-leonard-bernsteins-mass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2015\/annual-gala-concert-features-rare-opportunity-to-hear-concert-selections-from-leonard-bernsteins-mass\/","title":{"rendered":"Annual gala concert features rare opportunity to hear ‘Concert Selections from Leonard Bernstein’s MASS’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Leonard Bernstein\u2019s \u201cMASS,\u201d<\/a> commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy for the 1971 dedication of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., is subtitled \u201cA Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Witnessing a full-length performance, as Eastern Mennonite University professor Ken J. Nafgizer<\/a> did in 1981 for the center\u2019s 10-year anniversary, is \u201cmind-blowing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe complete work requires a marching band, rock band, symphonic orchestra, two choirs, a children\u2019s choir, and a raft of soloists,\u201d explains Nafziger. \u201cAnd as you can imagine, you can\u2019t just do this anywhere. Oh, and a ballet. There\u2019s also a ballet … and the Alvin Ailey dancers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lacking such an expansive stage, as well as a ballet and a marching band among other necessities, Nafziger and colleagues Joan Griffing<\/a> and Ryan Keebaugh<\/a> are providing the next best opportunity. The works\u2019 perennial themes of faith and doubt and the clash of tradition with modernity take center stage \u2013 albeit in an abridged version \u2013 at the university’s annual gala music concert Nov. 14, 7 p.m. in Lehman Auditorium.<\/p>\n

Bernstein\u2019s selections the highlight<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Music lovers who regularly attend EMU\u2019s annual gala concert, and those coming for the first time, will be delighted at this rare opportunity to hear \u201cConcert Selections from Leonard Bernstein\u2019s MASS\u201d by Doreen Rao<\/a>, the only sanctioned, abridged version in the history of this major work.<\/p>\n

\u201cMASS\u201d features the experience of \u201ca celebrant observing a mass who finds himself in the midst of the noisy, discordant sounds of church culture,\u201d Nafziger says. \u201cHis intention is to strip the noise away and find out what is at the core of the mass, which raises questions of faith and nonfaith, borrows all kinds of styles of music \u2026 and when it comes to that point in the mass when the wine and the bread are consecrated, he throws the chalice onto the floor, a most grievous sin in the Catholic religion. Out of that breakdown of his own faith, he finds a need to go on anyway and returns to the idea that to praise God properly, one needs to do it simply.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vocal soloists include sophomore Sarah Sutter, juniors Sam Swartzendruber and Jon Bishop, and seniors Guilio Garner and Heather Evans.<\/p>\n

A musical showcase<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While the Bernstein piece will be the highlight, other works are also in the evening’s program. The annual concert brings together the Chamber Singers, men\u2019s and women\u2019s choirs, Emulate, Chamber Orchestra, and the Wind Ensemble.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe annual gala concert is an opportunity for the music department to showcase most of our ensembles and the large number of students who participate in our programs,\u201d says Griffing, who conducts the orchestra. \u201cWe welcome the community to come out and help us celebrate and support the hard work of many while enjoying a wide variety of repertoire.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wind Ensemble, directed by John Dull<\/a>, will perform Gustav Holst\u2019s \u201cSuite for Winds.\u201d The Chamber Orchestra will perform a portion of Ernest Bloch\u2019s \u201cConcerto Grosso\u201d for strings and piano. Professor James Richardson<\/a>, baritone, will be featured in an aria from the Bach cantata \u201cIch habe henug.\u201d<\/p>\n

The concert is the primary fundraiser for the music scholarship fund. The suggested donation is $10 per person.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leonard Bernstein\u2019s \u201cMASS,\u201d commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy for the 1971 dedication of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., is subtitled \u201cA Theatre Piece for ... read more about Annual gala concert features rare opportunity to hear ‘Concert Selections from Leonard Bernstein’s MASS’<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7931,5183],"tags":[8135,16458,16471,15373,11451,16138,16459,7142,15918,14337,14335],"feature":[],"class_list":["post-25872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-music","tag-dr-joan-griffing","tag-emulate","tag-guilio-garner","tag-heather-evans","tag-james-richardson","tag-john-dull","tag-jon-bishop","tag-ken-l-nafziger","tag-ryan-keebaugh","tag-sam-swartzendruber","tag-sarah-sutter"],"yoast_head":"\nAnnual gala concert features rare opportunity to hear 'Concert Selections from Leonard Bernstein's MASS' - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2015\/annual-gala-concert-features-rare-opportunity-to-hear-concert-selections-from-leonard-bernsteins-mass\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Annual gala concert features rare opportunity to hear 'Concert Selections from Leonard Bernstein's MASS' - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Leonard Bernstein\u2019s \u201cMASS,\u201d commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy for the 1971 dedication of the John F. 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