By Kathleen Hilliard

On Thursday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. the four choirs featured at Northwestern State University will unite under one roof and offer a hint of what’s to come this year.

Starting only last year, the Choral Preview that will be featured in the Magale Recital Hall is something choir director Nicholaus Cummins describes as “an event where all the choirs could sing together” and be an audience with each other to provide a chance to grow.

“It lets us see as a choir where we are. It’s just better,” said choir member Lee Whitney, who has been a member of both the Lyrica and Chamber choirs for the past three years.

The preview also allows the choir to be able to branch out and “think of ourselves as a choral program and not like individual choirs.” This preview is one of many concerts the choirs take part in locally and while traveling, and is one of the most challenging due to it occurring so early in the year.

“This makes us push everything up much faster,” Cummins said. “Normally, we don’t perform until late October so everyone has to up their game. They have to learn faster.”

The four choirs that will be singing in the preview will be the concert choir, the Lyrica choir, the Chamber choir and the men’s chorus and will present a variety of different styles in their sets.

“It’s called a preview concert because each ensemble isn’t showcasing all of their music yet,” said freshman Chamber choir member Sarah Palmintier. “I think that great things are in store.”

One set will be inspired by places around the world such as Brazil, India and Spain, while another set will be more spiritual sounding music.

“It’s not your typical music. It’s very different. It’s a crowd pleaser, in my opinion,” Whitney said.

The origins of creating the event that premiered last fall centered around community and unity.

“I wanted to let people know that [the students] were all really talented,” Cummins said, adding that he wanted the students “to think of themselves not as separate entities but they’re all under this overarching umbrella that is the whole program.”

The Choral Preview will provide an opportunity to see the diverse range of vocal talent that Northwestern State boasts.

Submitted photo.