Kenny Detwyler
Contributing Writer
The harmonious voices of the UWF Singers and Chamber Choir filled the Center of Fine and Performing Arts on Monday. The vocalists, under the direction of Peter Steenblik, presented their fall concert, entitled “Lullabies, Love Songs, and Requiems: a Poetic Journey.”
The UWF Singers are a group of 30 selected singers, while the Chamber Choir features an ensemble of 10 from that same group. They were accompanied on piano by Bolton Ellenburg.
The concert featured the vocalists singing verses from a few of the most iconic names in in the world of poetry, such as Walt Whitman, Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, Georg Friedrich Daumer, and Ogden Nash, all of which were set to music.
Featured in the concert were five sets of music, each with a different theme. This included songs such as a salute to the cities in the Panhandle and the Star Spangled Banner. An audience favorite was the finale performance of “Jabberwocky,” written by Lewis Carroll.
“The ending was amazing. It was a perfect way to top it off,” student Daniel Stiles said. When talking about the finale, student Eva Duga could only use the word “fantastic” to describe it.
The UWF Singers have spent many weeks preparing for the evening.
“From day one to the present, we learned a lot of music,” freshman Eric Keeton said, of singing his first concert with the group. “Seeing the different ensembles come together was very exciting.”
“Going from rehearsal to performance is always difficult, because the rehearsal space is always more forgiving,” said vocalist Jordan Harell.
If the thunderous standing ovation the singers received at the end of the show was any indication, the UWF Singers and Chamber Choir handled their transition from rehearsal to stage with perfection.
While the event was free to the public, the music department still operated under a ticket system. This was partly to gauge interest in events like this being held on campus.
“I think it’s important to support the arts, because music is one of those things that communicates to everyone,” student Meredith Stemen said. “The singers were being expressive and showing their emotions, and I could understand what they were singing about.”
The musical journey presented in the concert did not end on Monday. A highly anticipated continuation of the show will be performed on at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at Old Christ Church in downtown historic Pensacola.
For a schedule of concerts and events in the Department of Music, visit their website.
Kenneth Detwyler Jr. 