Free, virtual ISU Choirs Fall Concert Oct. 23

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – You can watch the free, virtual Idaho State University Choirs Fall Concert on Friday.

The concert will be virtually live-streamed at 7:30 p.m. from the Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.

This live-stream is free and open to all and can be found on The Stephens’ Performing Arts Center YouTube page.

This concert will include performances from The Concert Choir as well as The Chamber Choir, conducted by Dr. Scott Anderson, and accompanied by pianist Natalia Lauk.

Both of the ISU Choirs are comprised of singers representing many degree programs throughout the university, with music majors and minors making up nearly half the membership. 

The 20 voices of the ISU Chamber Choir will open the performance with “O magnum mysterium,” by English composer, William Byrd, followed by “Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen,” by Johann Sebastian Bach. This smaller ensemble will also present “Lockung,” by Josef Rheinberger, and lastly, “You are the New Day,” as recorded by the King's Singers.

The 50-voice Concert Choir will complete this performance with pieces, “Sing Unto God,” by George Frideric Handel and “Ballade to the Moon,” by Daniel Elder. Soloists Jenna Sumison, Deanna Cole, Michaila Mitchell, and Sophie Behling will be featured in “Te Quiero,” from Argentinian composer Alberto Favero. Finally, the Chamber Choir will end this Fall Concert with Lift Him Up arranged by Byron J. Smith, spotlighting Melissa Matthews as soloist.

For the last 28 years, the ISU Choirs have hosted the ISU Choral Invitational Festival, which features 500 high school singers from 12 to 14 schools from around the state of Idaho under the direction of a nationally known conductor. Due to COVID, the choirs are not able to hold the invitational this year.

The Idaho State University Choirs have rehearsed wearing masks and maintaining 10 feet between each singer since the beginning of the semester.