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April 7, 2014 — The Allegheny Choirs, under the direction of James D. Niblock, will perform a free concert at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 12 in Shafer Auditorium at Allegheny College. The Allegheny College Chorus, Chamber Choir, Women’s Ensemble, Men’s Ensemble and Choir will perform individually and as a massed group.

The College Chorus, featuring Allegheny students and singers from Meadville and surrounding communities, will open the program with a short spiritual and several folk songs from the British Isles.

The Chamber Choir will offer unaccompanied selections ranging from the solemn motet “Absalon, fili mi” by Renaissance composer Josquin des Prez to contemporary settings based on light-hearted children’s poetry.

The Men’s Ensemble will touch on themes of fleeting youth and love before closing with a classic glee club setting of “Brothers, Sing On!”

Fresh from a concert in Punxsutawney, the Women’s Ensemble and College Choir will offer, in turns, portraits of whimsy, drama and solemnity. From François Gevaert’s penitential setting of “Our Father” to the rousing Witches Chorus that opens Verdi’s operatic setting of Macbeth, the Women’s Ensemble will highlight both nuance and power.

The Choir will share contemplative works by Gabriel Fauré (“Cantique de Jean Racine”) and Canadian composer Stephen Chatman as well as joyous folk styles from Britain to Bali.

Pianists Jim Ross, Kevin Dill and Ward Jamison will collaborate with the ensembles throughout the program. In closing, the combined ensembles will be joined by Ross and oboist Faith Robinson, a junior at Allegheny College, for a touching setting of the Prayer of St. Francis.

Lastly, Dill and Jamison will combine for the four-hands piano accompaniment to Charles Ives’ ecstatic “Circus Band.”