Ancient Art | Modern Voices

The Shenandoah Chorus, Cantus Singers and Conservatory Choir join the Simpson College Chamber Singers from Indianola, Iowa, under the direction of Dr. Timothy McMillin to present a special program featuring choral compositions and arrangements of living composers in a wide-ranging variety of musical styles: from Americana to the avant-garde to pop genres, and more. The concert will feature two world premieres by Shenandoah Conservatory composers: Intervals by Paul Winch and Nightcreeps by Grayson Jarvis.

PROGRAM

Morten Lauridsen: Sure on this Shining Night
Burton Lane (arr. Steve Zegree): On a Clear Day
Eric Whitacre: She weeps over Rahoon
Paul Ayres: Zacharias’ Song
Chen Yi: Spring Dreams
Paul Winch: Intervals (World Premiere)
Jonathan Adams: Selections from Pieces Written in a Time of War
Kurt Knecht: Sero Te Amavi
Jake Runestad: Let My Love Be Heard
Traditional (arr. Jeffrey Douma): I Am Loved as I Love
Traditional (arr. Joseph Flummerfelt): Danny Boy
Traditional (arr. Moses Hogan): The Battle of Jericho
Grayson Jarvis: Nightcreeps (World Premiere)
Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus (arr. Chandra Grover): Slipping Through My Fingers
Cyndi Lauper, Robert Hyman (arr. Erika Johnson): Time After Time
Paul Simon (arr. Vince Peterson): Bridge Over Troubled Water
Matthew Hazzard: Peace Flows into Me
Alberto Favero (arr. Liliana Cangiano): Te Quiero
Traditional (arr. James Erb): Shenandoah

Meet the Guest Ensemble

The Simpson College Chamber Singers is one of four choral ensembles at Simpson College. The ensemble sings advanced repertoire from throughout history in all styles and genres, but specializes in the chamber choral literature. The Chamber Singers performs a domestic tour bi-annually and performs as part of a wide variety of performances on campus each year including the annual Service of Lessons and Carols, frequent choral-orchestral masterwork performances, and numerous on-campus concerts in the fall and spring semesters. The ensemble has recently collaborated in performances with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Iowa, Iowa’s professional orchestras. The Chamber Singers has also enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with other high-level choirs in the Des Moines area such as the Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble and the Drake University Choirs.

Meet the Guest Director

Timothy A. McMillin is director of choral studies and professor of music at Simpson College, where he directs the College Choir and the Chamber Singers, is a member of the voice faculty, and teaches classes in conducting, music literature and choral studies. He also serves as co-director for Simpson College’s Master of Music (M.M.) in Choral Conducting degree, offered in an intensive, three-summers program. Before his appointment at Simpson College, Dr. McMillin directed choirs in Minnesota where he created and led award-winning high school programs.

In addition to his passion for academia, Dr. McMillin is artistic director and conductor of the Des Moines Vocal Arts Ensemble, a competitively-auditioned chamber choir in the greater Des Moines community committed to excellence in choral artistry.

Choirs under Dr. McMillin’s direction recently appeared at the Iowa Choral Directors Association’s (ICDA) Summer Symposium. Dr. McMillin is often called upon as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout Iowa and the Midwest. Recently, he prepared choruses for the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Iowa, and the chorus for the Des Moines performances of the national touring company’s Star Wars: In Concert. He also performed with, served as auxiliary chorus master and was a member of the stage management staff with the Des Moines Metro Opera. Over the years, he directed various high school musical theater programs and performed with numerous community theater organizations. Dr. McMillin served as producer and company manager for the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, a professional festival choir. He was also recently involved as a performer with the Jonathan Griffith Singers during an international tour throughout Turkey and sang in Winchester, England, under the direction of Paul Spicer.

Dr. McMillin earned a D.M.A. in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University in East Lansing, and degrees in music education from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa.

His professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), where he has served as Repertoire & Standards Chair for Four-Year Colleges and Universities and Community Choirs for the Iowa Chapter (ICDA), the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), the College Music Society (CMS), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

ACCESSIBILITY

All facilities are wheelchair accessible. Infrared hearing system headsets are available in Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre only. Accommodations for disabilities may be arranged by contacting the Box Office at least three days prior to the performance.

Photos by C. King Photography