Cal Poly Choirs’ Spring Concert: ‘In Her Words’

The Cal Poly Choirs will host the Tucson Arizona Girls Chorus for their season finale! The concert will focus on the words of female poets.

All four Cal Poly choirs — plus special guest ensemble, the Tucson Girls Chorus from Arizona — will perform on the concert.   

The audience will be treated to familiar favorites such as Benjamin Britten’s “Hymn to St. Cecilia,” performed by the Chamber Choir, and modern masterpieces like Cecilia McDowall’s “Magnificat,” performed by PolyPhonics and University Singers.  

The concert will also include some rarely performed gems such as several selections from Maddalena Casulana’s “Il primo libro di madrigali a quattro voci” (First Book of Madrigals for Four Voices) from 1568, which will be performed by the Chamber Choir and accompanied by Matthew Xie on lute. 

PolyPhonics will perform Abbie Betinis’ tour de force “Bar Xizam,” which, sung in Persian, is a complicated and exhilarating setting of the famous poet Hafez. The group will also present works by Sarah Quartel and Lili Boulanger. 

The TGC, conducted by Marcella Molina, is world famous. Its mission is to prepare a diverse group of young women to be confident leaders through participation in a well-constructed educational program that emphasizes music, performance, leadership training and community service. 

Cantabile, which performed at Lincoln Center in New York in March, will sing Francis Poulenc’s “Petite Voix,” a charming collection of five short pieces for sopranos and alto voices; and Sean Ivory’s beautiful and haunting “Solace.” TGC will join Cantabile for a performance of “Never One Thing,” arranged by Corrie Brown, as well as perform its own set of music. 

Scott Glysson conducts the Cal Poly Choirs. Paul Woodring will be the organist and pianist for the concert.