The Thursday Scholarship Series will feature UGA Hodgson Singers in a March 22 performance. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Concert Hall, which is located in the Performing Arts Center next to the Hugh Hodgson School of Music.
The Hodgson Singers are the flagship choral ensemble of the music school. Membership is contingent upon excellence in musicianship, vocal artistry and dedication.
The choir was recently invited to take part in the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. As one of 15 choirs chosen out of nearly 100 to perform at the conference, the Hodgson Singers were among one of four collegiate mixed choirs invited, which is the most competitive category of ensemble.
“The March 22 program will feature both sacred and secular selections from many time periods,” said Daniel Bara, conductor and director of choral activities. “Many of the texts suggest a return to the simplicity of nature to recognize and reclaim our inner calm. While other pieces reflect upon the death of loved ones.”
Concert attendees will hear selections from composers both old and new. The concert will conclude with two well-known rousing Southern hymnal tunes: “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” by Georgia composer Tommy Dorsey and the gospel tune “I’ll Fly Away” in a new arrangement by Shawn Kirchner.
“As always, I try to select music that is of diverse styles and which draws the listener into the point of view of the poet and performers,” Bara said. “We always strive to have our choral concerts be emotionally engaging and quasi-dramatic events for the audience, and ones that leave the listener wanting more.”
Joining Bara on stage for this performance will be assistant conductor Lee Wright and Elena Lyalina, who accompany the Hodgson Singers on piano.
Tickets for the concert are $20 for adults and $6 for students. They can be purchased online at pac.uga.edu or by phone at 706-542-4400. For those unable to attend, the concert will be streamed at music.uga.edu/streaming.
