{"id":658,"date":"2025-03-05T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/?p=658"},"modified":"2025-03-06T12:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T17:05:25","slug":"spring2025-choir-concert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imaginarygardens.org\/index.php\/2025\/03\/05\/spring2025-choir-concert\/","title":{"rendered":"A Show of Community and Hope"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
By Rocket Belden, Staff Writer<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s annual winter choral concert on February 27, was a celebration of community and music at Pellissippi State Community College, as Pellissippi State Concert Chorale and Pellissippi State Variations performed along with the Clinton High School Mixed Ensemble and the L&N STEM Academy Choral Ensemble last Thursday evening. The community came together to show their support for all four groups; students, families, and music enthusiasts alike flooded the Clayton Performing Arts Center auditorium, leaving standing room only for latecomers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Photo
L&N STEM Academy\u2019s Choral Ensemble soloists receive praise from director Ross Earl, a Pellissippi graduate. | Sophie Perrins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The concert opened with the Pellissippi State Concert Chorale, the non-auditioned choir group directed by Meagan Humphreys. They performed four arrangements, among which was the incredibly moving piece, \u201cAlways Something Sings\u201d by Dan Forrest. Humphreys announced that the group had last performed the song during COVID, which kept them from the opportunity to play live, adding that it was \u201cso very wonderful to perform live together.\u201d She noted that the message of the song, that of hope and beauty, is still applicable today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group worked hard to prepare for the concert, having only 6 weeks to prepare. It was a \u201cscary quick turnaround,\u201d remarked Variations member and Concert Chorale soloist Alexis Gomez, who added that she  was very happy with the group\u2019s hard work to prepare for the performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the Concert Chorale was Clinton High\u2019s Mixed Ensemble, directed by Oda McCall Bohanan. Bohanan acknowledged Clinton High\u2019s principal, Robbie Herrell, for attending the concert, noting that it is not often administration takes an interest in the music programs of their schools. The Mixed Ensemble played three beautiful pieces, ending with a traditional spiritual piece that earned raucous applause from the audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
The Pellissippi State Variations after performing their last song and closing out the night. This group is an audition group directed by Meagan Humphreys. | Sophie Perrins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next up was L&N STEM Academy\u2019s Choral Ensemble, directed by Ross Earl, a recent graduate of Pellissippi State. Both Earl and Bohanan are Pellissippi State alums, and they each spoke to the impact the school had on them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey come as students and leave as musicians,\u201d Earl remarked, regarding students of Pellissippi\u2019s music program. The Choral Ensemble also played three pieces, ending with a traditional spiritual featuring three remarkable soloists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The final group to perform was Pellissippi State Variations, the auditioned choir group also directed by Humphreys. They performed four arrangements, three of which Humphreys described as having \u201can ache to them.\u201d Their third piece, \u201cBlues for a Green Boy\u201d by Don Macdonald started with a somber tone, yet, within the accompanying piano and the lyrics had a hopefulness to it; soloist Alexis Gomez remarked that it was her favorite song out of all the pieces her company performed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group ended with \u201cMy Soul\u2019s Been Anchored in the Lord\u201d arranged by Moses Hogan, a traditional spiritual and audience favorite. It was incredibly performed and the perfect piece  to end the concert on, receiving a well-earned standing ovation from the audience. Variations will be performing again over spring break in Europe, gracing Prague with their voices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All four groups performed a traditional spiritual. It is a tradition of Humphrey\u2019s ensembles to end with a traditional spiritual as a way to acknowledge the history of choral singing. According to the Library of Congress, a traditional spiritual is a kind of religious song that African American communities in the American South sang throughout the 18th century leading up to the abolition of slavery. Humphreys acknowledged that the traditional spiritual influenced the choral style that is still sung today, which is why she leads her groups to continue performing songs in the style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Meagan
Meagan Humphreys addressing the crowd about her Pellissippi State Concert Chorale, the non-auditioned choir group. | Sophie Perrins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A
The Clayton Performing Arts building at Pellissippi\u2019s Hardin Valley campus packed with students, parents, and teachers in anticipation for the choral concert to begin. | Sophie Perrins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alexis Gomez leaves aspiring choir members with one piece of advice. \u201cHave a genuine love for music,\u201d she says, \u201cyou don\u2019t need a perfect voice or perfect pitch.\u201d Loving music and having fun is all that really counts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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