The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Choirs and Orchestra joined together on Tuesday Oct. 18 at seven p.m. in the Salem Gloria Logan Auditorium for “A Fall Concert.” The P-CEP Choirs and Orchestra have done their fall concert together as a “running tradition for at least 20 years,” said Jennifer Neumann, choir director.
The concert opened with Park Singers, the freshmen choir, directed by Neumann. Their three songs: “Let the Earth Resound” by Sally Albrecht, “Shoshone Love Song” by Roger Emerson and “Who Has Seen the Wind” by Christina Rossetti and Audrey Snyder.
Next was the Concert Orchestra, the intermediate orchestra, directed by Catherine DePentu, with “Over the Sea to Skye” composed by Carrie Lane Gruselle and “Wedding Song for Andy and Talia” composed by Susan Day. Later in the night they played “Saisons des Cordes” by Francis Feese.
Allegro!, the intermediate choir, was directed by Amy Boerma. They sang three songs including “My Guy” composed by Smokey Robinson and arranged by Mac Huff. Not known to the rest of the choirs, Parksmen, the male equivalent of Park Singers and Allegro!, sang “My Girl” also by Robinson and arranged by Alan Billingsley as one of their three songs directed by Neumann.
Symphony Strings, the advanced orchestra directed by DePentu, played three songs including “Oblivion” composed by Astor Piazzolla and arranged by Robert Longfield. This song featured a solo by first chair violinist, Weston Welch, Plymouth sophomore. “It was wicked lit,” said Welch. “I knew I could have done better, but I am still proud of myself as a player.” Other instruments Welch plays include french horn, guitar, bass, piano, drums, ukulele, cello and voice.
Dulcissima, the advanced choir co-directed by Neumann and Jonathan Lunneberg, sang two songs, “Come to the Music” by Joseph Martin and “Ash Grove” by Mark Hayes. Amber Mero, Salem sophomore and member of Dulcissima, said, “‘Ash Grove’ is my favorite song because I really like the poetic nature of the lyrics and the harmonies.”
Encore!, the show choir directed by Lunneberg, sang “We Go Together” arranged by Ed Lojeski from the movie “Grease” with choreography by Sydney Bramlett, Canton junior. Their second song, “Seize the Day!” from the Broadway musical “Newsies,” arranged by Kirby Shaw, was sang a capella and had choreography by Plymouth senior, Katherine Greene. Both songs were performed without Lunneberg directing Encore!.
Chamber, the advanced male choir also directed by Neumann, sang two songs alone and three songs with Madrigals, the advanced female choir, who together make up Festival Singers. Canton senior and member of Chamber, Josh Raiford said, “My favorite song was ‘Nelly Bly’ which Festival Singers sang, because it’s very energetic and a fun song.” Madrigals sang three songs on their own also under the direction of Neumann.
As always, the best is saved for the grand finale in which all member of orchestra and choir performed together “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morten Lauridsen. “It’s always one of my favorite things,” Neumann said, “and hearing about 400 students on stage together making music is a powerful thing.” The choirs and orchestra practiced the song together for the first time an hour before the concert started. Julia Messer, Canton senior and cellist in Symphony Strings said preforming with the choir “can be difficult at times because we don’t really get to practice with them but we really do just come together at the end.”