October 16, 2009

WSU Madrigal, Chamber Singers to appeal to 'inner child'

WSU News Services

The Wichita State University School of Music will present “Songs for the Inner Child,” featuring the WSU Madrigal Singers and Chamber Singers, with guest choir the Wichita West High School Madrigal Singers, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in Wiedemann Recital Hall.

Tom Wine

Tom Wine

The Madrigal Singers, directed by Tom Wine, will open their program with a charming piece titled “Children’s Letters to God,” based on actual letters from kindergarten students. The concert includes a wide variety of children’s nursery rhymes that are set with contemporary jazz harmonies.

“The melodies will bring back childhood memories,” said Wine, “while the accompaniment will challenge the listener to enjoy these tunes at a new level of complexity and sophistication.”

Also on the concert is a setting of the e. e. cummings poem “in time of daffodils.” The seemingly simple idea that a flower understands its need to grow, Wine said, is also a test for adults to live life to the fullest.

The Madrigals first sang the piece for the annual Oct. 2 WSU memorial of the 1970 football plane crash.

The Chamber Singers, Kyle Wheatley, director, will begin the concert with the beautiful Ave Verum Corpus. Using the childhood theme, the singers have a medley called “Birthdays: Round Numbers” in honor of those special celebrations that end in zero.

“It promises to be a musical Hallmark moment,” said Wine.

The Wichita West High School Madrigal Singers, Matt Webber, director, will present music from a variety of historical styles.

For information, contact Wine at (316) 978-3103, or call the WSU College of Fine Arts Box Office at (316) 978-3233.