Music Alumni from Meramec host a concert in remembrance
By: RYAN WINZEN
Staff Writer
On Sunday, April 28, 2024, the Meramec Music Department hosted their first ever alumni choral concert.
The idea came from the minds of music professor and choir director Dr. Jerry Myers, along with some Meramec alumni.
“I was thinking about how to honor an alumni who died a couple of years ago. While I was talking to other alumni of our choirs, the idea of having alumni come back to sing was quickly born,” said Myers.
The concert is in honor of Lauren Carroll, a former Meramec student and choir member. The Meramec Choir Scholarship will be renamed The Lauren Carroll Memorial Scholarship in her honor.
As the planning began, the event became larger.
“It just became a big effort to celebrate choral music here,” said Myers.
Myers talked about how smoothly the planning went.
“I put word out last summer with a save the date, and the word spread really quickly. I emailed and posted online a sign up form and then we found rehearsal dates that worked for most people,” said Myers.
The performance was a collaboration between the jazz combo, concert choir, alumni choir and other special guests.
“We have nearly 40 [people] in the concert choir, 60 alumni, the jazz combo and a few guest artists. Close to 100 on the stage,” said Myers.
The guests that accompanied the concert were professional musicians Gloria June West and Malena Smith.
Gloria June West is a piano and vocal performer. She has formerly worked at Walt Disney World as a performer and composer. West has experience working with many talented performers and conductors. She has also worked as a vocal coach, associate conductor, and staff accompanist at Rollins College in Orlando, Florida, and at St. Louis Community College. West accompanied the songs on the piano.
Malena Smith is a professional singer with a background in various genres, including Americana, classical and jazz. The St. Louis-born artist has a career filled with a multitude of achievements. Performing at concerts across the country, sharing the stage with artists like Michael Bublé and Brain Owens, doing an international show in Japan, and released two singles (Betray Myself and 18) in 2023, and is currently working on her debut album.
This concert was the premiere of “Welcome Home,” a piece composed by Michael Engelhardt and sung by the alumni choir. Smith sang “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone and her own song, “Betray Myself” with the accompaniment of the jazz combo.
“We commissioned a new piece that was written by Michael Engelhardt, who was a former professor here,” said Myers.
According to his own website, “Michael Engelhardt is a singer, songwriter, composer, vocal coach, producer, and director on a mission to make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
Also at the concert, the Concert and Alumni Choirs put together a joint performance of “He Never Failed Me Yet” by Robert Ray, which included Carly Handyside, Sydney Jean, and Miranda Devers as soloists.
While this was planned as a one time event, it seems that there is an interest for another alumni concert.
“This is the first one, although during a rehearsal, they asked if we would do this every year,” said Myers.
