Three student ensembles to perform at Fredonia Choral Festival
Fredonia Chamber Choir with Dr. Vernon Huff
The ninth Fredonia Choral Festival will feature three Fredonia choirs and Stacey V. Gibbs, a prolific and highly sought after composer and arranger, who will serve as the festival’s clinician and guest conductor.
Highlighting the festival will be a concert on Saturday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m., in King Concert Hall. Music will include European composers Maurice Duruflé (France), Ola Gjeilo (Norway), Felix Mendelssohn (Germany) and Francis Poulenc (France) performed by the student ensembles – Fredonia Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Vernon Huff; the Fredonia College Choir, directed by Dr. Melvin Unger; and the Fredonia Camerata, directed by Dr. Adam Luebke.
Tickets to the concert are $6 for general admission, free to Fredonia students with ID, and are available at the Fredonia Ticket Office in the Williams Center, and by calling 716-673-3501.
Mr. Gibbs will also direct each choir – as well as the combined choirs – in a performance of his music. The world premiere of Gibbs’ arrangement of “Lil David Play on Your Harp” will be sung by the all-female Camerata.
“I am thrilled that we are able to bring Stacey Gibbs to our campus for this residency,” said Dr. Huff. “With his arrangements, he has breathed new life into these old tunes, while never straying too far from the originals.”
Gibbs is also known as a dynamic conductor, Huff noted, “so I know our audience will love watching him lead the Fredonia choirs.”
During the two-day residency, Gibbs will work with the auditioned choirs on his arrangements of African American spirituals.
This concert is supported by the Carnahan Jackson Humanities Fund, with the student chapter of the American Choral Directors Association as co-sponsor.
