(October 16, 2014)

Centenary College Choir presents Rhapsody in View

SHREVEPORT, LA — Expect the unexpected. That is what audiences have in store this year when they attend Rhapsody in View. As one of Shreveport-Bossier's longest cultural traditions, the program has long been known for an eclectic display of choral innovation by the Centenary College Choir, which itself has always been unique amongst college Choirs for its audience engaging, enormous range of repertoire. Quite simply, there is always something for everyone at any Centenary Choir concert. As director David Hobson says, "We've always been known for singing a little bit of everything. This year expands on the notion of what 'everything' is. It has some unusual elements as to movement, props, and styles, and yet I think it will be as engaging to the audience as any we've ever done. We're excited to say the least."

What: Rhapsody in View
Where: Riverview Theater, Shreveport, LA
When: Saturday, October 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 26, at 2:30 pm
Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 at the door. Available from members of the Choir, The Hurley School of Music (318.869.5235), all Porter's Cleaners locations, and the Downtown Shreveport Lions Club.

Rhapsody is the largest concert the Choir will give for its hometown, and the program is inspired by this year's theme of "Out of This World," which quite literally finds the Choir all over the map. Reflecting the music that comes out of this world are multi-cultural pieces such as Mack Wilberg's Three Scottish Folksongs, Stephen Hatfield's rhythmic settings of the Hispanic Las Amarillas and spiritual Ain't That News, and Brad Holmes' arrangements of Shaker Dance and the African inspired Noel. Audiences enthused with the recent exquisite Norwegian choral music from Disney's movie Frozen can look forward to a set of pieces from the movie.

The theme also ushers in music of the eternal and the cosmos with such selections as Dan Forrest's arrangement of How Great Thou Art, Choir alumnus James Eakin's We Are the Stars, and Ēriks Ešenvalds Stars, a piece accompanied by tuned water glasses. Also included in the program is a robust men's arrangement of Ghost Riders in the Sky. For those looking for a more traditional bent, the Choir will be performing the great chorus "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" (A Mighty Fortress is Our God) set in contrapuntal display by Johann Sebastian Bach. This piece foreshadows the Choir's upcoming tour in May 2015 to Central Europe where they will be performing in Bach's hometown of Leipzig in addition to other great musical cities such as Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg.

The Shreveport Downtown Lions Club has co-sponsored the event since its inception, and proceeds help support the organization's projects such as sight conservation, Lions Eye Research Foundation, the Northwest Louisiana Lions Eye Bank, and the Lions Camp near Leesville, Louisiana.