Sometimes a performance impacts you in such a way that you feel compelled to convey your feelings to others in a way that transfers the impact to them. You can’t do this, of course, because the event has to be experienced. I am not an educated musician. I attend musical events because I enjoy them, but last Sunday I did more than just enjoy the “Requiem For The Living” performed by the Hillsdale College Choir and instrumentalists. The performance impacted me emotionally as I listened in rapt attention and fascination to the precision of the performance and the beauty and profoundness of the different movements. I didn’t understand the Latin, but I didn’t need to. (Although a translation was available in the program.) The music, itself, conveyed the meaning and the emotion. My wife, Gloria, was similarly moved, as were others I talked with afterwards. I don’t think either of us have ever been so captivated by a choral performance as we were on Sunday. It was one of those “once in a lifetime” experiences that we will treasure. The College choir and, especially their director, James Holleman, have brought to our community a true treasure chest of performances in recent years, for which my wife and I are grateful. We are blessed by the opportunity to hear great music performed in an exceptional manner, but the performance on Sunday tops them all.
Thank you, Jim, and the 100+ students who worked so hard to share your talents with the Hillsdale community. You are all special.
