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Maryville College small choral ensembles set fall concert for Oct. 8

Oct. 1, 2024

The small choral ensembles of Maryville College will present a fall concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, in the Harold and Jean Lambert Recital Hall in the Clayton Center for the Arts. Admission to this event is free and open to the public, and donations will be accepted at the door.

The concert will include vocal performances by Lads, an ensemble of lower voices; Lassies, an ensemble of higher voices;  and Off Kilter, the union of these two smaller groups to form a chamber ensemble of mixed voices.

This concert’s program includes compositions from a variety of historical styles and genres. Off Kilter, led by MC Director of Choral Activities Stacey Wilner, will perform Johannes Brahms’ beloved folk song “In stiller Nacht,” and Paul John Rudoi’s “Yonder Come Day,” a traditional melody from the Georgia Sea Islands, accompanied by pianist Chase Hatmaker ‘14 and percussionist Amber Nejme-Hatmaker ‘16. 

Lads, directed by Dr. Jennifer Olander Anderson ‘05, will perform “O Love” by Elaine Hagenburg, based on a hymn written by Scottish minister George Matheson. Lassies, led by Wilner and accompanied by collaborative pianist Anderson, will add some fun to the concert with a rendition of Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time,” arranged by Brent Sawyer.

This concert also marks the debut of Jacob Parauka, MC’s new choral assistant. Parauka recently completed his master’s degree in music education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama, and has since relocated to the Knoxville area along with his wife. Not only will Parauka be assisting with the choir, he will also be performing with Off Kilter and Lads.

“I am so grateful and excited to be working with the choral ensembles at Maryville,” Parauka said. “Even though I’ve only just started, I already feel right at home in this community of singers. I can’t wait for our first opportunity to make some amazing art together!”

While the concert does not have a specific theme, the overall theme for this year’s choral programming is inspired by Bob Dylan’s classic song “The Times They Are A’ Changin.’” This theme will continue to develop throughout the year with influence from choral students based on their interests and talents.

“This is a very dedicated group of singers, and they have been working diligently to prepare a concert with just a little over a month’s preparation,” Wilner said. “I am always amazed at the personal depth and level of professionalism that is displayed by our MC choir students. Their commitment and work ethic have made the rehearsal process smooth and rewarding, reflecting their passion and drive to deliver an exceptional performance.”

Written by Julia Jeffress ’25

Maryville College is a nationally-ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders, to study everything, so that they are prepared for anything — to address any problem, engage with any audience and launch successful careers right away. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, Maryville College offers nearly 1,200  students from around the world both the beauty of a rural setting and the advantages of an urban center, as well as more than 60 majors, seven pre-professional programs and career preparation from their first day on campus to their last. Today, our 10,000 alumni are living life strong of mind and brave of heart and are prepared, in the words of our Presbyterian founder, to “do good on the largest possible scale.”