STL Choirs Combine to Showcase Mixture of Motion Graphics and Music
BY: TYRA LEESMEN
Print Editor-in-Chief
St. Louis Community College at Meramec’s Department of Design, Visual and Performing Arts presented the Choral Showcase Concert “Visions” on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. The event featured the Chamber Singers Concert Choir and regular concert choir, conducted by Dr. Jerry Myers, and Black Tulip Chorale, conducted by Robert Stumpf.
Soloists and featured artists included Garrett Sheahan, Kyree Hamilton, Lauren Johns, Miranda Dowden, Makayla Song, Gabriella Harlow, Kyla Herbert, and Odell Jackson.
“This was a very talented group,” said Dr. Jerry Myers. “These are singers coming from a lot of different backgrounds and groups in the St. Louis Community to form this group.”
According to Myers, conceiving and executing the event was relatively easy. As he compared his October concert plans to that of Stumpf, the concerts were “nearly identical,” which made the decision to combine the two seem like a good idea.
The concert boasted a new St. Louis – based LGBTQIA professional choir, a novelty in the area.
“It was a wonderful learning opportunity for our students. There was a wonderful chance for them to learn from another professional conductor and to sing side by side with other singers from widely different backgrounds,” said Myers.
Concert goers witnessed the combination of music and art at Meramec as motion graphics were created by art students for the concert and played throughout the event, giving life to the music.
“We try to make all of our concerts different, but this one was really just very unique. At one point in the night, we had almost 90 singers on the stage. Typically, you just come to hear the music, but [concert goers] got to visualize it through these motion graphics,” said Myers.
Dr. Tim Linder, a professor of art, worked with some of his students on the graphics, as well as Michael Swoboda and many of his students. Swoboda ran the graphics during the Sunday event.
“I’ve never been to a concert like that before. The [motion graphics] and all that visual effects stuff going on during the music just made it really overwhelming and beautiful. It’s hard to describe. You just need to go and be there in the seats watching the music. That sounds so weird, doesn’t it? Watching the music? But that’s what it felt like we were doing,” said Azra Haddiq, a concert goer.
According to Haddiq, the crowd experienced a collective awe at the combined performances and visual augmentations. Upcoming concerts for Meramec’s singers include the Dec. 2 holiday concert, which will be held in the Meramec Theater at 7:00 p.m., and will feature all choral and instrumental groups at Meramec and the Funky Butt Brass Band.
