The Hope College choirs will perform on Friday, Sept. 29, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Pine Grove in the central campus. The concert will feature the Chapel Choir, SPERA, and College Chorus, as well as vocalists and instrumentalists from the college’s Department of Music.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
Because the outdoor location has no seating, audience members are encouraged to bring a chair, blanket and sweater to enjoy the evening of song. In the event of rain, the concert will take place in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
The program, “Celebrating Hope in Song,” will explore a variety of musical traditions, from the Shaker hymn settings of William Hawley and Stephen Paulus, to the Spiritual arrangements of Moses Hogan. Newer voices include Moira Smiley’s American folk-styled songs, and Reena Esmail’s fusion of Hindustani and Western Classical genres. All of the composers on the program share a common message of peace, belonging and unity, encouraging listeners to look toward the future with hope.
The Chapel Choir is an advanced ensemble of 37 members. The ensemble seeks to study advanced choral repertoire, and is open to all students by audition.
The College Chorus is a 42-member ensemble that collaborates with the Chapel Choir in the college’s annual Christmas Vespers services, and is open to members of the Hope College faculty and staff and of the Holland community as well as to students.
SPERA is an auditioned 32-member ensemble for treble voice created in 2020. SPERA actively engages with the greater choral community as well as at Hope College.
Peter Kadeli, who is visiting director of choral activities, and Pam Pierson, who is director of SPERA, will lead the choirs in collaboration with faculty and student performers from the music department.
Kadeli is a conductor and composer passionate about impacting individuals and communities through engaging musical programming. Kadeli recently served in a variety of roles at Indiana University assisting with the Opera Chorus, University Chorale and Singing Hoosiers. He holds a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and choral music education from George Mason University.
Pierson is an active adjudicator and clinician. She conducted the High School SSAA State Honors Choir in 2012 and was the MSVMA Teacher of the Year 2015, and her choirs performed numerous times at the Michigan Music Conference and American Choral Directors Association conferences. In the summer of 2019, she was the director of the 80-voice Michigan Ambassadors of Music Choir during the ensemble’s 16-day trip to Europe. She is currently director of adjudication for the Michigan School Vocal Music Association.
Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the college’s Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616-395-7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Updates related to events are posted when available in the individual listings at hope.edu/calendar
The Pine Grove is in the central campus of Hope College directly behind Graves Hall, which is located at 263 College Ave., between 10th and 12th streets. Dimnent Memorial Chapel is located at 277 College Ave., at the corner of College Avenue and 12th Street.