Page 44 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2024 - Online Magazine

The

Magic

of the

Lubbock Chorale Lest I give the wrong impression, it

should be said that, in the Chorale,
we enjoy a full spectrum of musical
styles and periods. In fact, one of my
by Randall Hinds favorite concerts last year was devoted
to beautiful choral arrangements of
American folk songs. Who would
t feels sort of surreal … sitting here First, there’s the music itself. Tonight, have guessed? And one of our recent
in the Texas Tech music building, we’re working on the Mozart concerts featured the works of local
Iin one of the Lubbock Chorale’s Requiem. Last semester, it was composers, including recent and
weekly rehearsals, singing some of Haydn’s Creation, and before that, the former Chorale members.
the greatest music ever written, with beloved and truly glorious Handel’s
both college-aged students and older Messiah … and on and on. One thing So, there’s no end to the rich diversity
people … like myself. these masterworks have in common of music we get to encounter in a very
is that their composers are doing fun, relaxed, yet strongly intentional
It feels surreal because, as most people something that has always boggled environment.
who have lived for very long can my mind. It’s called counterpoint,
attest, there seems to be this crazy time where a musical theme is presented Second, there are the fantastic
warp in our lives that makes events in one voice, then, as the second voice conductors we get to work with.
that happened years ago feel like they takes up that initial theme, the first I’m sitting here tonight enjoying the
could have taken place just yesterday. voice begins a second theme, and on expertise of Dr. Alan Zabriskie, a
In fact, with a slight alteration of through the other voices. It becomes director whom only serious university
consciousness, I might just be able to really complex very quickly, as you music students would normally
feel that I am still one of these college- can imagine. But the amazing thing have the opportunity to train under.
aged students myself, rather than one is that these composers can turn this Beyond his obvious mastery of
of the old folks. incredibly complex note-crafting into choral music and conducting, he has
profoundly the unique ability to make us feel
But here we are, from teenagers all beautiful music,
the way to men and women in their so much so that,
seventies and beyond, all giving if you haven’t
what we can to recreate something been trained to
immensely beautiful.
listen critically,
As I’m consciously focusing on you might just
learning the music we’re rehearsing think all those
tonight, there are other things going notes were
on in my mind. How is it that I’m just randomly
here, doing this … at this stage of life? chosen only for
And why do I find this kind of singing their composite
such a deeply satisfying experience? beauty.

44 Lubbock Senior Link