On May 10, Chamber Singers and Chamber Orchestra, along with some Philharmonic Orchestra members, performed a Masterwork Concert at First United Methodist Church.

Chamber Singers performed “Five Hebrew Love Songs” by Eric Whitacre with Hays High School’s top string quartet of seniors Caleb King, Julia Kuhl and Ken Shaffer and junior Savannah Clingan.

“The text was written by Whitacre’s wife, and it’s made of impressions of romance,” choir director Alex Underwood said. “My favorite is, ‘Mostly,’ said the roof to the sky, ‘the distance between you and I is endlessness; But a while ago only one centimeter was left between us.’”

They also performed two songs from composer Chen Yi, who the Chamber Singers got to work with before the New Music Festival held at Fort Hays State University, alongside more works from her.

The Chamber Orchestra performed “Symphony No. 8 in G Major” by Antonin Dvorak. The students have been working all semester on the 40-minute piece with four movements. There were also professional winds hired in to support the orchestra in this piece.

Flute: Hilary Shepard, Hannah Koster
Clarinet: Kristin Pisano, Katelyn Willemsen
Oboe: Emily Foltz, Natalie Myers
Bassoon: Rachel Woodbury, Ethan Karnes
Horn: Greg Jones, Evan Strong, Josie Shepard, Elyssa Rucker
Trumpet: Sergio Rodriguez, Peyton Moore
Trombone: Adam Ward, Dawson Mcneal, Daniel Smith
Tuba: Michael Frangello
Timpani: Breckyn Wahlmeier
Violin 1: Caleb King, Michaela Lane, Christian Miller, Ava Ruiz, Janessa Miller, Conner Miller, Nathan Mark
Violin 2: Ken Shaffer, Jaylen Hughes, Keira Vilaysing, Savannah Schmitz, Allison Goertzen, Ashley Smith, Bladyn Werth, Jackson Huwa
Viola: Julia Kuhl, Canon Weber, Samara DeWitt
Cello: Savannah Clingan, Elizabeth Gerstner, Bryton Unsworth, Marth Miller, Jayleigh Weilert
Bass: Clare Tholstrup, Bailey Barnes, Alex Hillebrand

25willemsen@usd489.com