Last Sunday at 3 p.m., the Hillsdale Arts Chorale performed the third concert of their 42nd season in the sanctuary of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church.
The performance, entitled “Flowers of Beauty,” featured a range of pieces with one unifying theme.
“Today’s program was about love, and the different ways we as humans can love,” said Andrea VanDeusen, the Chorale’s conductor. “All the pieces have to do with friendship love, family love, love for God, nature, etc.”
Since 1972, the choir has drawn members from Hillsdale and the surrounding community to rehearse once a week and perform four times a year.
“I think we’re fortunate to have a group with such talent in a small community,” said Greg Bailey, a former member of the Chorale and its executive director. “The types of pieces they have performed over the years are difficult, are noteworthy, are something that you wouldn’t hear otherwise.”
The choir has only 23 singers, and the women significantly outnumber the men. Nevertheless, the group was able to achieve a well-balanced tone and gorgeous harmonies, and to master the dynamic range of soft, prayerful pieces such as Stephen Paulus’ “Pilgrim’s Hymn” and powerful, forceful sections of Brahms’ “Liebeslieder Waltzes.” Their selected music was complex, and their execution was professional and exact.
Debbie Wyse, Hillsdale College piano instructor and choir accompanist, played both piano and harp during certain pieces. Wyse sang in the chorale for 30 years before retiring from the commitment several years ago.
“One thing that’s wonderful is that it does make a connection between college and community,” Wyse said.
Several members of the choir are Hillsdale College alumni, and Wyse said that there has been consistent involvement between choir and campus over the years. Wyse herself first became connected with Hillsdale College through her involvement with the Arts Chorale. After accompanying an Arts Chorale performance in 1981, she was approached about applying for an accompanist position at the college.
VanDeusen, who is in her first year conducting the Arts Chorale, grew up in Hillsdale before leaving for college and a series of music teaching jobs, one in Switzerland. Having been involved with Hillsdale’s Youth Chorale as a child, conducting the Arts Chorale is very significant for her.
“There’s a different level of your heart involved,” VanDeusen said, “This is an organization that has a lot of history, and a very strong community within it. There are very many members in it who sing now who sang when I was a kid. There are a handful of people who I sang with when we were children who are now adults singing in the group.”
She says that this community is not only a good result of the chorale, but it also adds to its success.
“Hillsdale is a small place… but I think that that actually adds to the success of the ensemble in a sense, because there is so much history, and so much connection between the members.”
The Hillsdale Arts Chorale will be performing their last concert of the season, “A Grand Night for Singing- an evening of Broadway and Pops Music,” at Saint Paul’s on May 9th.