THIS SHINING NIGHT

Canberra Choral Society

Music Director: Dan Walker

Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest September 21

 

Reviewed by Len Power

 

Celebrating Canberra’s Spring season, Canberra Choral Society’s latest concert was a selection of contemporary choral music by North American composers. The large choir was accompanied by pianist, Anthony Smith, and the direction was by Dan Walker. Rachel Mink, soprano, was the soloist.

Mink commenced the concert with a solo performance of Sure On This Shining Night by Samuel Barber. Her beautiful soprano filled the large church with Barber’s shimmering setting of the words by American, James Agee.

The choir then sang three works, two by American composers, Jane Kozhevnikova and Gwyneth Walker and one by Canadian, Sarah Quartel. With the first, Can We Reflect The Stars, by Kozhevnikova the choir impressed with their performance, creating a truly ethereal atmosphere.

Canberra Choral Society

In the second work by Canadian Sarah Quartel, “Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers, a setting of the poem by Emily Dickinson, the choir’s sensitive performance underlined the deeper meaning of the poem.

Gwyneth Walker’s Ring Out, Wild Bells gave the choir the opportunity to show the power of their singing. The finale of this joyful work was awesome.

Rachel Mink, soprano

The choral brackets of the concert were interspersed with solo works featuring Rachel Mink. These more intimate works were sung with great sensitivity. Her performances of Barb’ry Allen, He’s Gone Away and Will There Really Be A Morning were particularly outstanding.

The range of works performed reflected the melting pot of North America. Amongst the large number of works presented by the choir, the delicacy of Eric Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque, the warmth of Samuel Barber’s The Coolin and Amy Beach’s beautiful work, Peace I Leave With You, were highlights.

Dan Walker, musical director

Dan Walker’s arrangement of the well-known lullaby, Summertime, by George Gershwin from his folk opera Porgy and Bess, was performed by Rachel Mink with the choir. Walker’s arrangement gave this work a spiritual sense which was unexpected and refreshing and was another highlight of the concert.

The choir also sang another setting of Sure On This Shining Night, this time by composer, Morten Lauridsen. It was a more reflective treatment and equally as beautiful as the earlier Barber arrangement. The Barber setting of this work was then sung by Rachel Mink with the choir, bringing this enjoyable concert of thoughtfully chosen works to a close.

 

Photos by Peter Hislop

This review was first published by Canberra CityNews digital edition on 22 September 2024.

Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.