Southern Chorale, Concert Choir, Men’s and Women’s Ensemble, members of the Hattiesburg Choral Union and the Symphony Orchestra at the University of Southern Mississippi will come together to perform “Belshazzar’s Feast,” a cantata by William Walton that features ten different movements, a few of which were previewed during their Christmas extravaganza in December. Much like the annual Christmas concert, the orchestra will be participating, making this a night to showcase all the talent in the music department.
Photo credit: Christopher Little/Printz
The concert will start out with the winners of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition in an audience favorite, Future Stars. Then, professor and director of choral activities Greg Fuller will begin conducting “Belshazzar’s Feast.”
Concert Choir member Aris Taconi said they have been practicing since the beginning of April for the event.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort to make this concert awesome,” Taconi said. “We’ve had night rehearsals and devoted all of our class time and free time to learning this music.”
Another Concert Choir member, Emily Dana, said if concertgoers liked what they heard in December, then they will not want to miss this concert.
“‘Belshazzar’’ is such an intense piece of music,” Dana said. “The orchestra really adds to the beauty, and I can’t wait to see it all come together.”
Ethan Manning, a student who attended the Christmas concert, said he is excited to attend “Belshazzar’s Feast.”
“I remember hearing them sing a part of it in December,” Manning said. “It was absolutely incredible. You could tell how complex the music was, but they did a great job with it, and I’m excited to hear the rest.”
The concert is set for tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at Main Street Baptist Church. Tickets are $16 and can be purchased online or at the door. For more information, visit www.usm.edu/music.
