On Oct. 10, the dark sanctuary of the Cathedral at John Brown University was illuminated by the beauty of joining voices from the Cathedral, University and Community Choirs. The Fall Choir Concert was a display of creativity, talent and discipline that spanned ages and cultures. Seung-Won Cho, director of choral activities at JBU, led the concert titled “Old Faithful,” inspired by Yellowstone National Park’s famous geyser.
While “Old Faithful” references the powerful geyser, Cho also connected it to God’s faithfulness to us. The theme was displayed through songs that have faithfully stood the test of time and as well as through more modern pieces of music that have become recent favorites. Various truths about God’s goodness and faithfulness were represented in directly religious pieces and even in some whose creators had no thought of God in mind.
Interwoven throughout the centuries of pieces is the idea of God’s love and grace. Even in Paul McCartney’s “Can’t Buy Me Love,” the invaluable quality of love is repeated, and Moses Hogan’s “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?” Affirms God’s faithfulness to His beloved people. Cho chose a set of songs that highlighted both how beautifully the characteristics of God can be found in secular pieces and the vocal power of his choir and orchestration.
When reflecting on the theme of the concert, Freshman Joshua Smith said, “I would have to say either ‘Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel’, or ‘World O World’ were the songs that fit the theme best. In ‘World, O World’, it’s talking about how, ‘Oh world, you’ve been my home for so long, but now it’s time for me to go’. It’s about that trust and willingness and trusting God with your time to go.”
Cho said, “Through centuries-old masterpieces and fresh new works, each piece in this program testifies to the ways music expresses faith, love, and the longing for God’s presence. Old Faithful, the geyser, may one day cease its eruption, but God’s faithfulness will never end.”
A highlight from the concert was the Kenyan hymn ‘Wera Baraka’, which was sung in Swahili by the University and Community Choirs. Two members of the Cathedral choir provided a simple percussion accompaniment. Jacob Collier’s ‘World, O World’ was the most modern of the pieces and was filled with Collier’s eccentric harmonies, which were beautifully rendered by the Cathedral Choir.
Smith said, “The one that I felt we connected as a whole, as the choir, was ‘Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel’ because it was a more upbeat and fast tempo song. I felt that there was more energy and passion in that song than in the others.” This energy and passion was felt by the audience as voices echoed in the dark.
The united voices of the University, Cathedral and Community choirs welcomed fall with a reminder of God’s faithfulness. This reminder was relevant, as there is joy in the changing of seasons, but often there is also struggle. Those who attended the concert left having experienced a display of gifts and beauty through both voices and composition of the fall choir concert. This hopefully empowered the joy of change and brought a moment of respite for those in the struggle; through it all, God is faithful.
Photo Courtesy of Devyn Davis
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