At 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 2024 Linfield’s Department of Music presented their Spring Choral Concert in the Ice Auditorium. The event was conducted by both Mattew Fletcher and Dr. Julie Cross, with Anne Britt as the accompanist for the evening. Audiences were treated to two choral groups, Wildcat Glee and Concert Choir, as well as a combined performance of the pair. The evening and the songs were in dedication to not only Women’s History Month but Black History Month and Saint Patrick’s Day.
Taking the stage first, Wildcat Glee sang three pieces: “There’s a Meeting Here Tonight,” “Fey-O” and “Rocky Road to Dublin.” Of the three pieces, their final one may have been the most entertaining of the night, sporting guitar, violin, box drum and an accordion. “Rocky Road to Dublin” was the group’s explicit ode to Saint Patrick’s Day.
After Wildcat Glee’s brief performance, the Concert Choir took over the rest of the evening with a whopping 10 songs. They sang six spring songs and sang a set of four Ukrainian songs from a previous concert. A highlight from the Concert Choir’s set was “Until I Reach My Home,” it rocked an outstanding solo piece from freshman Isabella Rigutto. The song is originally an African American folk song, it was sung in honor of Black History month.
Another song worth mentioning is “Deep Peace to You” since it was written by Linfield’s own William Campbell in the wake of 9/11 — it was his way of trying to give people a semblance of peace. In the final set of songs from Ukraine, they were songs about spring that coincidentally aligned with the literal Spring Equinox.
As mentioned earlier the event concluded with a joint performance from “The Parting Glass” a more laid back number. The two groups took a bow while the audience applauded another delightful night of singing. The next performance is 7 p.m. on May 8, 2024.