Cameron University Choir celebrates “Viva La Musica”

Music impacts our lives in good and bad ways. It can spark feelings of nostalgia, riot emotions or inspire others to take action.

It can even bring people together with its beautiful, and at some times, quirky tunes.

The Cameron University (CU) Choir will perform “Viva La Musica,” a choral concert celebrating the joy and unity of music at 7 p.m. September 26 at Lawton’s First Presbyterian Church, 1302 SW A Ave.

Christian Morren, associate professor of music and director of the CU choir, said the church is known for its “excellent and inviting atmosphere.”

“(It) provides the perfect setting for choral music,” Morren said. “Tom Willoughby, the music minister, and the church congregation have been extremely supportive of Cameron’s music program. It is a privilege to sing in such a beautiful place.”

“Viva La Musica” will feature a mix of Renaissance and contemporary choral music, with Willoughby providing piano accompaniment, according to a press release.

The concert will open with David Brunner’s energetic “Viva La Musica (Long Live Music),” an exuberant work that opens with a strong, bold, unison exclamation and vividly expresses text and musical ideas, the release said. They will then perform a Renaissance repertoire with two madrigals including “Come, Let’s Begin,” and “Four Arms, Two Necks, One Wreathing.”

The program will also feature the contemporary choral work, “Inscription of Hope,” the release said. Composed by Z Randall Stroope, the piece was inspired by a poem from the Holocaust era that reflects resilience and hope.

The choir’s treble singers will perform “Set Me as a Seal,” by Bruce Tippet, a piece based on scripture in the Song of Solomon, the release said. The concert will conclude with a final performance of “Vox Vibe” by Greg Gilpin. The piece has a jazz=infused style, is engaging rhythmically and is sung on nonsense syllables.

Members of the CU Choir are Tatiana Robinson, Altus; Mariah Boggs, Cache; Taylor McQuinn, Duncan; Elihu Norbury and Grace Norbury, Joplin, Mo.; Sophia Avila, Moreno Valley, Calif.; and Vanessa Cleophat, Divina D’Haiti, Kirstin Dunn, Sydney Gibson, Brittany Hall, Winston Hartley, Ava Hess, Charles Jones, Kaitlan Kaulaity, Seth Mccoy, Alexander Miller, Victoria Moody, Rubiana Ramirez, Aleah Weber and Lillie Wright, all of Lawton/Fort Sill.

For more information, contact the Department of Art, Music and Theatre Arts at (580) 581-2345.