Western Carolina University

Above: Working with accompanist Barbara Dooley, seated at piano, are the soloists for an upcoming performance as part of the Artist-in-Residence Series, (from left to right) Mitchell Hutchings, Mary Kay Bauer, Robert Holquist and William Martin.

The Western Carolina University Concert Choir and the Western Carolina Community Chorus will be joined by the WCU Artist-in-Residence Orchestra at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 1, for a performance of  Johann Sebastian Bach’s Lenten cantata, “Christ Lay in the Bonds of Death,” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s oratorio on the passion of Christ, “Christ on the Mount of Olives.”

The concert, the latest in a series of Artist-in-Residence programs sponsored by the WCU Office of Academic Affairs and the department of music, will be presented in the Performance Hall of the Fine and Performing Arts Center on the WCU campus.

Western’s Concert Choir is an auditioned choral ensemble that has performed since 1979 under the direction of Robert Holquist, WCU professor of music. The choir performs frequently on campus and for schools, churches and community groups throughout the state and beyond. 

The Western Carolina Community Chorus, directed by James Dooley, WCU music professor emeritus, is composed of singers from the westernmost counties of the state and presents concerts regularly throughout the region. The chorus is sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council and WCU.          

The string section of the WCU Artist-in-Residence Orchestra comprises players from the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, and the woodwind, brass and percussion players are faculty and advanced instrumental students from the WCU department of music.

Vocal soloists featured in the Beethoven oratorio are Mary Kay Bauer, soprano, who will sing the role of the Seraph (archangel); William Martin, tenor, the role of Jesus; and Mitchell Hutchings, bass, the role of Peter. Bauer and Martin are members of the WCU music faculty, and Hutchings is a senior music major. 

Concert Choir members are sopranos: Jamie Beck, Dayna Damron, Shannon Ehlers, Kate Gardner, Liz Geeslin, Heather Hall, Heather Hallmark, Rebecca Inch, Tiffany McCoy, Julie Patterson, Bethany Rowe and Ashley Setzer; altos: Adrienne Avery, Jennifer Beck, Nishelle Caudill, Sonja Freeman, Natalie Haynes and Rachel Phillips; tenors:  Peter Crockett, Jamie Drye, Steven Foster, Greg Hirsh, Mark Hudson, Gregory Kennedy, Logan Rodgers, Daniel Rohrig and Cord Scott; and basses: Lance Alexander, Roman Brady, Brandon Coprich, Patrick Detloff, Mitchell Hutchings, Daniel Iannucci, James Jordan, Chris McCallister, Lance Newman, Bryan Nichols, Michael Sena, Patrick Thomas and Patrick Willse.  Accompanist is Patrick Thomas.

Members of the Western Carolina Community Chorus include sopranos:  Marge Bickerstaff, Sue Balke, Lauren Baxley-Kittle, Susan Blair, Lin Bostic, Shirley Carter, Audrey Coleman, Kathryn Davis, Genia Edmonds, Diana Fisher, Suzanne Fullar, Susan Halstead, Betty Lou Hubbard, Margie Kellam, Sabrina Kumar, Faith LeBaron, Nancy Mauldin, Doris McConnell, Candy Meyers, Linda Morris, Anne Rolfe, Carol Shelton, Meta Walton and Barbara Wing; altos: Pat Buckner, Janice Burnett, Pam Dengler, Arden Dismuke, Barbara Dooley, Bea Ezechel, Ellen Faull, Betty Lynn Kirwan, Jean Lewis, Jan Miller, Janet Moulton, Georgia Newsom, Jo Roberts, Sue Wakeley, Marty White, Haidee Wilson and Lois Wink; tenors: Alan Bostic, Steward Clemons, J. K. Coward Jr., Bruce Frazier, Joe Ginn, Richard Ginn, Willie Hubbard, John Livingston, Mike Nichols, Mike Vincent and Conrad White; and basses: Steve Baxley, John Bickerstaff, Barry Carter, Bob Crabtree, Donny Gibson, Tommy Ginn, Jim Hyler, Jai Kumar, Norman Meservey, Phillip Sanger, Mike Shallock, David Warinner, and Ralph Wright-Murphy.  Accompanist is Barbara W. Dooley.

Students and faculty included in the orchestra are Tiffany Lamb and Kate Palmer, flutes; Erin Pugh and Ashan Davis, oboes; Alison Murphy and Steven Foster, clarinets; Will Peebles and Sarah Todd, bassoons; Caitlen Fennell and Sarah Gregory, horns; William Dellinger and Brian Garland, trumpets; Dan Cherry, Sara Dickson and Aleksandr Witt, trombones; and Andrew Blair, timpani.

Tickets are available at the WCU department of music office and at the door. Prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens age 60 and above. For tickets or information, call (828) 227-7242.