Concert Choir takes Spanish rhythms on the road for 2003 Choir Tour

March 4, 2003

Musical selections in Latin, English and Spanish will be the feature of the Maryville College Concert Choir’s 2003 Choir Tour, which gets underway March 13 aboard buses bound for St. Augustine, Fla.

Entitled “Viva La Danza” (Spanish for “Live the Dance”), the 2003 tour includes stops for six concerts in Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. The program represents many different musical genres that showcase the group’s versatility.

Opening with works from the Renaissance period, the program moves into contemporary pieces, spirituals, and comedic selections from the small ensemble Off Kilter. The third section of the program is devoted entirely to traditional Hispanic choral selections, celebrating the history of St. Augustine and the surrounding area.

Selections from the concert include “In Dulci Jubilo,” “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Son de Camaguey” and “Tres Cantos Nativos.”

The tour itinerary is as follows:

  • Thurs., March 13, 2:30 p.m. The choir will perform in the atrium of Bartlett Hall as part of the Choir Tour send-off.
  • Thurs., March 13, 7 p.m. Off Kilter will perform in conjunction with the alumni, parent and friend outreach event held at the Chattanooga residence of John Thornton.
  • Fri., March 14, 7:30 p.m. The choir will perform at Second Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga. A reception will follow the concert.
  • Sat., March 15, 7 p.m. The Choir will perform at Mary our Queen Church in Norcross, Ga.
  • Sun., March 16, 11 a.m. The choir will perform during the worship service at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Ga.
  • Sun., March 16, 7 p.m. A 5:30 p.m. potluck dinner for the choir (alumni invited) will precede the concert at White Bluff Presbyterian Church in Savannah.
  • Tues., March 18, 7 p.m. The choir will perform at Altama Presbyterian Church in Brunswick, Ga.
  • Wed., March 19, 6 p.m. The choir will perform at West Rome Baptist Church in Rome, Ga.
  • Fri., March 28, 8 p.m. In its annual Homecoming Concert, the choir will perform in the Fine Arts Center Music Hall on the Maryville College campus, which has recently undergone a major interior renovation.

Concerts are free and open to the public. Love offerings are collected.

“ This year’s Maryville College Concert Choir is the hardest working ensemble that I have had the honor to work with at MC. They are extremely focused in regard to the music,” said Stacey Wilner, Maryville College choral director. “The seniors and I started our tenure at MC the same year – and have now worked together for four years. Through that process, we have all grown in our musicianship.”

Since the 1940s, choir members have spent their Spring Break on tour, performing in recent years at churches and schools throughout Virginia, Georgia, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.

Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state‘s third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for its academic rigor and its focus on the liberal arts, Maryville is where students come to stretch their minds, stretch themselves and learn how to make a difference in the world. Total enrollment for the fall 2012 semester was 1,093.