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PITTSBURG —
When choirs travel, they often receive the gift of hospitality from communities they visit in return for a song.
Cantamus, an all-women’s choir from Iowa State University, made a stop in Pittsburg Wednesday on its way to Dallas, where the women are scheduled to perform later this week at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference.
Susan Marchant, professor of music at Pittsburg State University, said it was a great opportunity to be able to give back some of the hospitality her choirs have received.
“We travel a good bit too,” she said. “We’re always on the receiving end of the dinners and hospitality.”
She said the timing also worked well. The U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters were scheduled to perform a concert in Pittsburg the same evening, but that event was canceled due to budget sequestration at the national level.
Marchant said Cantamus gave the community a fine concert experience that evening.
“I’m really glad to have this opportunity to have a fine collegiate ensemble come through town,” Marchant said.
Kathleen Rodde, conductor of Cantamus, said having a place to stay and the opportunity to share music is valuable for her students.
“It’s nice to do a concert share,” she said.
“Our students like the experience of home stays,” Rodde added.
Rodde said her students were selected to perform at the conference through a process that involved a blind audition and two rounds of cuts, including one that narrowed the field to 300 choirs and a second that cut that number down to 30.
“We were the only all-women’s collegiate choir selected,” she said. “It’s quite a commitment to prepare and get to this level.”
When Cantamus, a group of 72 chorus members and eight others, including instrumentalists, began making travel arrangements, Marchant received word that the group was looking for a place to spend the night.
The Pittsburg community provided places to stay, and Pittsburg State students prepared lasagna, salad, sides and desserts for their guests.
During the concert Wednesday evening at First United Methodist Church, the Pittsburg State University Ensembles performed a sampling from their spring concert and Cantamus performed the works the group will be singing in Texas.
When choirs travel, they often receive the gift of hospitality from communities they visit in return for a song.
Cantamus, an all-women’s choir from Iowa State University, made a stop in Pittsburg Wednesday on its way to Dallas, where the women are scheduled to perform later this week at the American Choral Directors Association National Conference.
Susan Marchant, professor of music at Pittsburg State University, said it was a great opportunity to be able to give back some of the hospitality her choirs have received.
“We travel a good bit too,” she said. “We’re always on the receiving end of the dinners and hospitality.”
She said the timing also worked well. The U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters were scheduled to perform a concert in Pittsburg the same evening, but that event was canceled due to budget sequestration at the national level.
Marchant said Cantamus gave the community a fine concert experience that evening.
“I’m really glad to have this opportunity to have a fine collegiate ensemble come through town,” Marchant said.
Kathleen Rodde, conductor of Cantamus, said having a place to stay and the opportunity to share music is valuable for her students.
“It’s nice to do a concert share,” she said.
“Our students like the experience of home stays,” Rodde added.
Rodde said her students were selected to perform at the conference through a process that involved a blind audition and two rounds of cuts, including one that narrowed the field to 300 choirs and a second that cut that number down to 30.
“We were the only all-women’s collegiate choir selected,” she said. “It’s quite a commitment to prepare and get to this level.”
When Cantamus, a group of 72 chorus members and eight others, including instrumentalists, began making travel arrangements, Marchant received word that the group was looking for a place to spend the night.
The Pittsburg community provided places to stay, and Pittsburg State students prepared lasagna, salad, sides and desserts for their guests.
During the concert Wednesday evening at First United Methodist Church, the Pittsburg State University Ensembles performed a sampling from their spring concert and Cantamus performed the works the group will be singing in Texas.
