Annual tours find groups sharing God’s love through music
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The Tabor College tradition of touring each spring with musical ensembles continued again in 2013. This spring three groups took to the road, sharing their gift of music and the message of God’s love to alumni and friends. The Concert Choir headed west, presenting concerts in Colorado and California, March 14-24. The choir, under the direction of Dr. Brad Vogel, professor of choral music, performed nine concerts under the theme “The Radiance of His Glory,” based on Hebrews 1:3. “So many texts speak of the glory of God and the glory of Christ, and Hebrews 1:3 proclaims that Christ is ‘the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being’,” said Vogel. “I wanted to focus on how we as believers reflect the Lord’s glory and so looked for texts that would speak of our lives in and for Christ.” Freshman Olivia Kliewer, Hillsboro, noted that the experience was important to her. “Personally, I thought that the choir tour was amazing. We became closer as a group and when you do that, you are better able to share music with others,” she said. “The thing that really impacts me is being able to share music with different people and making a connection with them. Another highlight is staying with host families and hearing their stories.” The choir sang a wide variety of pieces from hymn arrangements to contemporary versions of ancient texts. The concerts also included Vogel’s own arrangement of the hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Students Megan Wiebe and Zach Neumann served as the accompanists for the tour. Rachel Goering on flute and a string quartet of Ryan Loewen and Cheyenne Derksen on violin, Jessica Coldwell on viola and Natalie Wiens on cello were also featured during the tour. Tabor College’s Concerto Bella Voce women’s choir, which debuted this year under the direction of Janie Brokenicky, launched its inaugural tour, March 18-24, visiting locations in Wichita, Dallas, Texas and several stops in Oklahoma. Brokenicky was hired this past fall as assistant professor of choral music.
Concerto Bella Voce, the Tabor College women’s choir, made its debut this past year under the direction of Janie Brokenicky.
The concert series, entitled “His Guiding Hand,” was based on the text of the book of Ruth. A special number, “The Song of Ruth” by David Childs was performed. Concerto Bella Voce was accompanied on piano by Director of the Music Preparatory School Tiffiney Harms. Sally Epp was featured on violin as well as in a piano duet with Cora Ruhl. Rounding out the traveling groups was the tour of Western Kansas by the Symphonic Band and Chamber Strings. The groups appeared at seven locations in western Kansas including Hesston College, North Oak Community Church in Hays, Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Meade, the Presbyterian Church of Garden City, Garden City High School and Newton High School. Under the direction of Daniel Baldwin, director of bands and orchestra, the theme for this year’s tour was “Out of the Darkness and Into the Light,” based on 1 John 1:5. “We have all experienced dark times in our lives,” said Baldwin. “The solution to combat darkness is light. The way we come to that light is through a relationship with God.”