The Cal Poly Choirs’ “The Sacred Veil” concert will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 1, in the Performing Arts Center. Named for Eric Whitacre’s momentous work, the concert will focus on themes of struggle, hope and healing.
In collaboration with the concert, the Cal Poly student chapter of Miracle Club will be in the lobby on behalf of Cottage Children’s Medical Center to help raise charitable funds, and Theatre and Dance Department student dancers will perform with two of the choirs.
University Singers will open the concert with modern settings of traditional and folk music from various cultures, including Jennifer Lucy Cook’s setting of “How Can I Keep from Singing,” and Jeffery Ames’ arrangement of the South African protest song “Tshotsholoza.” The choir will also perform works by Johannes Brahms and Susan LaBarr.
The Chamber Choir’s set will represent music from every major period of history, with Clément Janequin’s famous “Les Chant des Oiseaux” (“Song of the Birds”) from the 16th century, and works by Brahms, Hans Leo Hassler and Jacob Narverud.
Cantabile will give a special performance of “A Blessing of Cranes” by Abbie Betinis about Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who was near the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Before she died of leukemia from radiation at the age of 12, she made 1,000 cranes to symbolize hope and peace for all peoples. The work was a 2014 Women’s Choir Consortium Commission of the American Choral Directors Association.
“The Sacred Veil” concert title piece will be performed by PolyPhonics and Chamber Choir. It tells the deeply moving story of a battle with ovarian cancer, and will feature music major Emiko Wong on cello, Paul Woodring on piano, and three dancers who are minoring in dance: computer science major Megan Waller, business administration major Hannah Bielcik, and anthropology and geography major Emma Bowman.
Cal Poly Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Studies Scott Glysson will conduct the choirs. Woodring will accompany the choirs on piano and organ.
The event is sponsored by Cal Poly’s Music Department, College of Liberal Arts and Instructionally Related Activities program.
