Wichita State University choirs will present “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20, in Miller Concert Hall.
The Concert Chorale, A Cappella Choir and Symphony Orchestra will join together to present the powerful concert by Karl Jenkins. The concert takes the form of a twenty-first century mass setting in the spirit of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem,” incorporating texts from the Roman Catholic mass, the Muslim call to prayer, the Bible and the Mahabharata, along with poetry from Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Lord Tennyson and others.
The music is striking in its variety, including the fifteenth-century tune “L’homme arme” (The Armed Man), African-style drumming, Renaissance polyphony and movements that sound like modern cinematic composition.
“Last summer as I was searching for music for this performance, there had been a series of ‘lone wolf’ terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, and I came across “The Armed Man,” which included text and music from Christian, Muslim and secular traditions,” said Michael Hanawalt, director of Choral Activities and conductor of the performance.
“The Armed Man Film,” a concert-length movie by Hefin Owen, will be shown during the performance. It features graphic images of war that may not be suitable for children. This multimedia event makes an unforgettably-visceral statement about the horrors of war.
“This work, arresting in its immediacy, is a powerful plea for peace and understanding in the face of modern cultural conflict,” said Hanawalt. “It’s impossible not to be deeply impacted by this innovative music and video – it’s incredibly powerful.”
Tickets can be purchased at the Fine Arts Box Office in the lobby of the Duerksen Fine Arts Center or online at wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice. General admission is $12, with $10 discount tickets available for seniors, faculty/staff and military or $6 tickets for children and students. WSU students are eligible for one free ticket (visit http://www.wichita.edu/j/?4363 for details). For ticketing assistance, contact the Fine Arts Box Office from 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, at 316-978-3233 or fasttickets@wichita.edu.
The mission of Wichita State University (www.wichita.edu) is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master’s and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State’s Innovation Campus (http://wsuinnovationcampus.org/) is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university’s vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.