The Eastern New Mexico University Choirs are having their first in person concert in over a year on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.
Dr. Jason Paulk, the instructor for the ENMU Choirs, explained that the repertoire is made up of a few very well-known artists such as Beethoven and Vivaldi. There will also be some contemporary music included in the set that Paulk hopes will accent the concert lineup nicely.
“The students themselves really enjoy the music this semester.” Paulk said. “They are excited to be back in person.”
The pandemic has put a damper on many things and the Choir is included in that, so being back on campus and in person is good news for the students. “It was very challenging to have choir rehearsals via Zoom over the last two years,.” Paulk mentioned.
COVID-19 has had a heavy impact on everything, including the ENMU Choirs. Practicing together is a must, but being off campus presented some challenges to the choirs. They had to practice together in a completely virtual setting, with some students assigned to create virtual pieces that were then brought together to create their single performance. Paulk explained the unique difficulty that this present to the singers, since in person the students could use each other’s voices to better acclimate their own, while in a virtual setting students had to rely more on their own voices.
Dr. Paulk says he is really looking forward to the performance at Buchanan Hall and he is especially excited for a performance in front of a live audience again. The hall seats about 230 people and they are welcoming everyone. There are going to be three different ensembles that make up the concert. These three are the University singers, the Chamber singers, and the Swanee singers. The University singers have 65 voices. The Chamber singers have 21 voices. Finally, the Swanee singers have 6 voices for a grand total of 92 total people performing in the concert.
Paulk encourages everyone to come support the singers for this concert. The concert is free and the variety of music ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Go support your fellow students in the ENMU Choirs on Thursday, October 14, at 7 pm.