From the comforts of their own homes, the dynamic choirs create a magical virtual experience for all to enjoy.
During a time where we are confined to our homes and can no longer enjoy the wonders and connection of an in-person concert venue, The Treble Chorale and Choir from Ithaca College, did an outstanding job at trying to bridge this newly found gap. The extravagant performance was conducted by the celebrated and charismatic Janet Galván. Both groups cultivated a relaxing atmosphere with their casual clothing, smiley personality, and colorful backgrounds. Close to 45 members make up each group, all of whom exuberate excitement and enthusiasm. On May 11th, shortly after the arrival COVID-19 to the US, which quickly prompted the premature closure of colleges around the country, the Ithaca Choral community nimbly adapted to the new circumstances, and came together, stronger than ever before, to put on one last concert before the end of the Spring 2020 semester—it was for the history books. The lack of in-person interaction failed to take away from a decade-long tradition where the seniors are surrounded by their peers and sung to one last time. With the use of technology, they managed to continue this tradition despite the abnormal position they were put in. Not only were traditions withheld, but so was the quality of music produced from both of the ensembles.
The concert begins with The Treble Chorale performing a breathtaking rendition of ‘Blessing’ by Katie Moran Bart. Each voice seems to blend in perfectly together to form a heavenly and calming chorus. Naturally the mixing played a huge role in creating the heavenly sounds we hear, but that should not take away from the beautiful voices that make up the inconceivably talented ensemble. If you listen closely, you can hear their individual voices, all of which are just as beautiful as the next. The control, pitch and tone are otherworldly. One may think that trying to coordinate such a large group of singers would result in timing issues and other technical issues, but the group demonstrates that it is possible to create magical sounding music using technology.
The concert concludes with a powerful performance of ‘The World, This Wall, and Me’ by Michael Bussewitz-Quarm, performed by the Choir. Commenced with a strong opening by the male voices that creates the foundation of the piece; we immediately know we are in for a spectacular performance. Once the foundation had been established, the remaining voices enter, and suddenly we are transported to a different galaxy. The beautiful counterplay between the lower and higher voices creates an exquisite sound and introduces intriguing musical ideas. Like, the last performance, all the voices complement each other perfectly, and in unison create a majestic sound that will be talked about for years after this performance. The small section with the three soloists acted as the icing on the cake, showing the audience that there are very talented individual singers that make up the incredibly talented ensemble.
I know you may feel frustrated watching this concert alone in your bedroom under the light of your single luminescent bulb, but it may be comforting to know that the members of both Treble Chorale and Choir did not get to enjoy the benefits of performing at a live venue either. Instead, they too were trapped to the confines of their own homes, where they produced and recorded the sounds necessary to fill their part. This concert was a powerful demonstration of the beguiling music that can be created from the comforts of your own home. Grim as it may seem, perhaps this is the future of ‘live’ concerts and perhaps, we may have to get used to it—at least for the foreseeable future. Whether this may be the case or not, the Treble Chorale and Choir from Ithaca College have certainly shown that it is possible.
Watch the performance here