Spring Choral Concert and Reception for Dale Miller
JONESBORO – The Department of Music at Arkansas State University will present Dr. Dale Miller’s final Concert Choir and Chamber Singers Spring Concert with Alumni Choir at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in Fowler Center’s Riceland Hall. General admission is $5, and is free to students with A-State ID.
The concert will be followed by Dr. Miller’s retirement reception in the Grand Hall. The reception is open to the public.
Miller, who has served as the director of choral activities at A-State since 1997, remarked, “The thing I will miss the most in retirement is the daily contact with my students in rehearsals, lessons and one-on-one conversations. To be involved with the education of music makers and help them experience the 'Aha! Moment,' whether they are 'music-loving' majors or non-majors, has been the joy of my 45-year teaching career."
The Chamber Singers will present premier performances of “This Is the Day” by A-State alumnus Aaron Fisher of Memphis and “Psalm 131” by A-State sophomore composition major Connor Scroggins of Malvern.
The singers also will perform the works of two A-State alumni who teach choral music, Dana Green Johnson’s “For God So Loved the World” and Jonathan Adams’ “Pieces Written in a Time of War,” conducted by graduate student Matthew Crociata in partial fulfillment of requirements for the Master of Music in choral conducting. Crociata was one of Adams' students at Nettleton High School.
Two graduate students from Searcy High School will also conduct during the concert. Hal Niederbrach will conduct “Thou Knowest Lord” by Henry Purcell and Victoria Pulliam will conduct “Nächtens” by Johannes Brahms.
Because Miller is retiring at the end of this academic year, the A-State Concert Choir will present several of the director's favorite choral pieces that have been performed by the choir during his tenure at A-State. The group will also present the premiere performance of “Sing . . . ” by Brian Henkelmann, a piece written for this concert and dedicated " . . . to Dr. Dale Miller in appreciation of his years as choral director at Arkansas State University.”
Other selections by the Concert Choir will include Miller’s edition for choir, string trio, horns and organ of “Alleluja! Confitemini Domino” by Johann Michael Haydn, and the unaccompanied works “Nox Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre, “Praise to God” by Knut Nystedt, and “Battle of Jericho” by Moses Hogan. The collaborative pianist for both choirs is Brian Henkelmann.
A chorus of “Miller Years” alumni will also perform. They will begin the day with a fellowship breakfast and rehearsals. The alumni group will start the afternoon’s concert with the Lloyd Pfautsch arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” and end the program with the following selections from Miller’s tenure: “O Nata Lux” by Morten Lauridsen, “My Soul’s Been Anchored,” arranged by Moses Hogan, and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You,” a choral benediction arranged by Peter C. Lutkin.
Choir alumni includes individuals who have sung in the Concert Choir, Men’s or Women’s Choir, Community Choir or Alumni Choir at Homecoming. Anyone who would like to perform with the alumni choir is asked to contact Miller through Facebook or email rdmiller@AState.edu.
Concert tickets are available at the A-State Central Box Office, 972-2781 or at the Fowler Center Box Office, 201 Olympic Dr., on concert day.
For more information about this concert or any other A-State music event, contact the Music Department at (870) 972-2094.
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