M State choir and band show set for April 21 in Fergus Falls

It happens every spring like clockwork, and now it’s time once again for M State’s annual Spring Concert, a vocal and instrumental showcase of the college’s three choirs and Concert Band.

With a special emphasis on the concept and meaning of time, this year’s concert will begin at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at M State’s Fergus Falls campus. 

The band will start things off with a performance in Legacy Hall, and then the choirs will follow with a performance in Waage Theater.

“What is time?,” asks Laura Quaintance, M State Music Faculty and Director of the choirs. “How do we measure it? How do we cherish or value it? Who or what marks time in our lives? Through the pieces we’ll perform, we’re taking a special journey through those questions.”

The three choirs – the Concert Choir, Voice Ensemble and Chamber Chorale – will honor time with songs like “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye,” and even a barbershop piece. “When Memory Fades” will be performed as a tribute to memory loss, dementia, and loved ones lost to time.

“We’ve prepared a wide variety of music, from a range of styles, to discuss and learn about one another’s thoughts on time,” Quaintance adds. “We’re eager for the audience to move through the music with us, and we’re prepared for an emotional moment or two honoring those we love. You won’t want to miss it.”

The Concert Band, under the direction of Jim Iverson, M State Music Faculty, will be performing several songs ranging in style from contemporary – by composers Samuel Hazo and Andrew Boysen – to more traditional, such as “The Earl of Oxford’s March,” by William Byrd, and “The Thunderer,” by John Philip Sousa.

“I continue to challenge the band with different styles and difficulties in the music that we perform, and the band always rises to the occasion,” says Iverson. “This will be an enjoyable concert, and the band looks forward to sharing their music with the audience.”

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door (school-aged students get in for $5, free admission for M State students and staff with a college ID). Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Fergus Falls Campus Store, by calling (218) 736-1556, or online at mstate.universitytickets.com.

For more information about M State’s Fine Arts department and additional upcoming Fine Arts events, visit www.minnesota.edu/fine-arts.