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From left,
Namwoong Cho, Michael Gale, Emily Ann Formica, Anne Ganster,
and Laura Petravage
Photos courtesy of Daniel Abraham |
AU singers are among region’s most talented
by Kenny Lucas
In early February an all-star choir put on a performance in Boston’s
historic Old South Church, and the music had a distinct American University
sound. The voices of twenty-nine students from Maine to D.C. made
up the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) College and University
Chamber Choir, and five of those soaring singers hailed from AU. The
honorees— Namwoong Cho, Emily Ann Formica, Michael Gale, Anne
Ganster, and Laura Petravage—all members of the American University
Chamber Singers, submitted performance reels in the fall and were
notified of their acceptance to the choir early this semester. Not
only did AU land more singers on the prestigious choir than any other
school, but they also sent the only nonmusic majors represented. The
honorees were sent the music the choir would be singing at the ACDA
Eastern Division Convention and prepared for the big weekend with
the help of AU’s director of choral activities Daniel Abraham.
“They’re expected to come with the music completely learned,”
Abraham said. “So when they get there, it’s not about learning
music, it’s about making the music.” The convention took
place in Boston, Feb. 12–14, and the University Chamber Choir
was given three days to rehearse, a mere tick of the clock by normal
preparation standards. Still, under the direction of Simon Carrington,
professor of music at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, the voices
of AU’s singers melded perfectly with those of students from
across the region. “It’s an amazing experience,” Abraham
said. “It’s always nice for the director, but it’s
really incredible for the students because they are singing with the
best of the Eastern Seaboard in a situation where everyone is playing
a very important role.”
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