Six music students enrolled in Advanced Conducting this semester, including one from Duncan, will demonstrate their skills by conducting the CU Concert Choir and CU Concert Band on Thursday, April 28.

Victoria Chambers, Shay Hernandez, William McGee, Rachel McCurry, Mikayla Stephenson and Kenneth Williams have been working with the ensembles since mid-March and are ready to take on the management of this concert. The performance will take place at the University Theater at 7:30 p.m.

Hernandez, a Wichita Falls senior, will direct Jacob Narverud’s “Ad Astra”; Duncan senior Stephenson will take over on Kim Arneson’s “Flight Song”; and McCurry, a junior to Lawton, will serve as conductor on Michael John Trotta’s “Carita Abundat.” All three plan to teach music in public schools after graduating from CU.

Morren will conduct Kyle Peterson’s “Soon We Will Be Done”, Mozart’s “Lacrymosa” from “Requiem in D Minor, K. 626” and Keith Hampton’s “Praise His Holy Name”.

Williams, Chambers and Magee will lead the CU Concert Band, led by Dr. Lucas Kaspar, who teaches the class in advanced conducting. Williams, a junior of Lawton, will conduct Gustave Holst’s “Suite in F”. Chambers, a Lawton senior, will conduct John Barnes Chance’s “Elegy.” Magee, a Lawton senior, will direct Gordon Jacob’s “William Byrd Suite.” After graduating from CU, Williams plans to pursue a master’s degree in music. Chambers and Magee plan to teach music in public schools.

Kaspar will lead John Philip Sousa’s Liberty Bell March.

To close the concert, the ensembles will join forces to perform Mykola Lyssenko’s “Prayer for Ukraine”. Written in 1885, the lyrics are particularly moving given the current crisis in Ukraine.

“I had so much fun working with Will, Victoria, Kenneth, Shay, Mikayla and Rachel,” says Kaspar. “Dr. Morren and I decided to introduce Advanced Conducting Students because we want students to be equipped for wherever their musical journey takes them after graduating from Cameron. Leading an ensemble involves so much more than waving. arms and telling people what to do (although that is part of it) All of the students have improved greatly since they started studying conducting in the fall semester of 2021. Dr. Morren and I -even are very proud of the path traveled by all the students and we are delighted to see what each of their future holds for us.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors/military/K-12 students. Admission is free for UC students, faculty and staff with CU ID. Customers are encouraged to call (580) 581-2346 to reserve a spot.

The Cameron University Concert Choir, conducted by Dr. Christian Morren, will perform a variety of choral compositions.