August 1, 2017—The Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA) is holding auditions beginning Aug. 14 for singers who would like to join the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Choir for its winter concert.
Choir director KuanFen Liu, who holds a doctorate in musical arts (DMA), is looking for singers age 18+ of all vocal ranges and abilities, but would especially like to see experienced singers audition.
“We always need tenors and basses,” said Liu, Assistant Professor of Performing Arts. “This season, we are also looking for a few more experienced sopranos.”
This winter’s concert is called “The Poet Sings: Songs and Poems Inspired by the British Isles” and it contains readings and songs from the Medieval to the 20th Century.
Music will include carols, madrigals and folk songs such as the Celtic chant, “There is No Rose” as well as “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “I saw Three Ships,” “Joy be Yours in the Morning” and “There is Sweet Music.”
“My singers have inspired me to make these selections,” Liu said. “I chose these musical selections to showcase their beautiful choral sound and to challenge them to keep improving as an ensemble.”
Poetry reading will include the works of William Shakespeare; Lord George Gordon Byron; Percy Bysse Shelley; William Blake and William Wordsworth. There will also be original work by students from CSUCI.
“I wanted to create an integrated concert program to share some of the most well-known and beautiful poetry and choral arrangements with our students and audience,” Liu said. “For centuries, artists and musicians have felt that words alone aren’t enough to express one’s emotion. On the other hand, vocal music can’t exist without words. This program is the perfect marriage.”
Auditions are from Aug. 14 through 21. To schedule an appointment, email Liu at downbeatplus@gmail.com.
Members of the CSU Channel Islands Choir are from both the campus and the community. Led by Liu, the choir meets weekly as a class in the University’s Performing Arts program (PAMU 307).
For more information, contact Molly Pei at 805-218-2042 or visit the CICA website at www.cicachoir.org.