Top middle school singers will unite with Lake Michigan College’s Concert Choir to celebrate the artistic brilliance and creativity of women who have enriched choral music during Illuminate: Shining a Light on Female Composers and Arrangers. The free performance will happen at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28 on the LMC Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre stage, located on the College’s Benton Harbor campus at 2755 E. Napier Ave.
The concert features a diverse repertoire spanning centuries, from sacred Baroque works to contemporary compositions, including folk arrangements from around the world. The program highlights the remarkable range and cultural depth of how women composers have contributed to choral music across different eras and traditions.
The performance is a collaboration between the LMC Visual & Performing Arts Department and the Michigan Vocal Music Association District 6 Middle School Honors Choir Invitational. It will feature the LMC Concert Choir directed by Rebecca Derbas-Selvidge paired with the voices of more than 60 top middle school choir students from across the area under the direction of Megan Farison.
Among the planned selections performed by the LMC Concert Choir are “The Word Was God” by Rosephanye Powell, “Ave Regina Caelorum” by Isabella Leonarda, “Wanting Memories” by Ysaÿe M. Barnwell, and “Through Love to Light” by Elaine Hagenberg.
The MSVMA D6 MS Invitational Choir will perform “Kimineero (The Carrion Crow),” a folk song arranged by Linda Spevacek; “Round, Rolling Moon,” composed by Amy F. Bernon; “Thula Klizeo,” a song by Joseph Shabalala and arranged by Leanne MacDonnell; and “Sing to Me” composed by Andrea Ramsey.
The two choral groups will come together for the concert finale, “Be the Change (with This Little Light of Mine)” by Laura Farnell.
“Bringing the young middle school voices together with our established concert choir members creates a vocal synergy that is pure magic. This promises to be a very special performance,” stated Rebecca Derbas-Selvidge, LMC music lecturer and choir director.
Students are selected for the Michigan Vocal Music Association District 6 Middle School Honors Choir by their choir directors to participate in the all-day experience being held for the third year in a row at LMC. The day culminates for the students in a public concert performance. It is directed by guest conductor Megan Farison, a well-known choral conductor, musician, author, and podcaster for the Sing, Coach, Conduct podcast.
Derbas-Selvidge directs the LMC Concert Choir, a mixed-voice choral ensemble comprised of LMC students and community members from throughout Berrien County and beyond.
Tickets are not required for this free general admission event.
