The Perry Performing Arts Center was filled nearly to capacity Tuesday evening for the Perry Vocal Music Concert, and those gathered were treated to more than one hour of excellent performances by a variety of choirs.
Perry Vocal Music Director Jenn Nelson introduced each of the eight performing groups, describing what each choir was focusing on and what each learned so far this year.
She noted that 18 boys from the Perry Middle School and High School participated in the Real Men Sing Festival at Wartburg College. They rehearsed and performed three songs in an evening concert while also listening to several Wartburg men’s ensembles during their day-long visit to Waverly.
Nelson noted that freshman Dannah Karolus and eighth graders Daniel Hill, Derik Hill and Miguel Orduna had all auditioned for the Opus Honor Choir recently. Orduna received the distinction of being selected for the seventh abd eighth grade Bass Clef Choir as a Bass II. He will sing Nov.17 — the opening day of the IHSMA All-State Music Festival — at Iowa State University.
The 40-member Sixth Grade Choir opened the concert with “America,, “Getting To Know You” and “Manx Lullaby,” with Perry junior Brenna Penenger accompanying the choir on flute for the final song. The Seventh Grade Choir has nearly 60 members, including 14 St. Patrick’s Catholic School seventh and eighth graders, and they entertained the crowd with “America the Beautiful,” “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'” and “Yonder Come Day.
“Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Mango Walk” were sung by the Eighth Grade Choir.
Kaira Francis, Destiny Hegstrom, Josline Irakoze and Alex Tasler are the four members of the Girls Chorale, a treble clef ensemble in their second year of existence. The quartet sang “Caro Mio Ben,” which is Italian for “My Dear Beloved.”
The all-boys 6-12 Bass Clef Choir sang “Tell My Father.” The song, from the musical “The Civil War,” has lyrics based on a private’s dying words to his father. Memorial funds from the family of former music teacher and veteran Alan Hall — who passed away last spring — were used to purchase the piece.
The Treble Clef Choir sang “Letter From a Girl to the World,” which included several choir members sharing thoughts with the audience. They were accompanied by Eoin Davis on shaker and Perry Instrumental Music Director Brandon Weeks (who played piano on most numbers) on djembe for the piece.
The Concert Choir took to the stage to perform a portion of “Blogodop,” which Nelson described as a challenging song with intricate rhythms and set in a minor key. The lyrics are a combination of Haitian French Creole and nonsense sounds. Nelson noted the choir would perform the entire piece at the Dec. 5 Winter Concert.
What followed was the gospel-styled “City Called Heaven,” featuring soloists Keegan Eastman and Ayanna Vang, with the crowd reacting in appreciation along the way and providing a standing ovation at the conclusion.
All choirs combined to end the concert with “Grow, Little Tree.”
It was also announced that PHS students Beau Nelson, Breanna Penenger and Saydee Strough will audition in Atlantic Saturday for the All-State Chorus, with Ana Bivanco, Adriana Eastman, Julie Stetzel, Nelson, Penenger and Strough trying out for a spot in the Iowa State University Honor Choir Monday.
The next concerts for the choirs will be Dec. 5 for the high school groups and Dec. 12 for the middle school students. Additionally, the boys will perform “Tell My Father” at the middle and high school Veteran’s Day programs Nov. 11.
