MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
The Hutchinson Community College Symphonic Band and Concert Choir will join forces with the Salt City Orchestra for a special spring concert, “Between Sound and Silence,” at 7 p.m. March 9. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The concert will celebrate the arrival of spring with music centered on renewal and hope. The HutchCC Symphonic Band is directed by Eric Stambaugh, and the Concert Choir is directed by Judson Lee.
A highlight of the evening will be a performance of “Illuminare” by composer Elaine Hagenberg. The extended five-movement work for SATB chorus and chamber orchestra will be presented by the HutchCC Concert Choir in collaboration with the Salt City Orchestra.
“Illuminare,” Hagenberg’s first extended composition, weaves together lesser-known sacred texts in Latin, Greek and English. The piece moves through themes of beauty and goodness disrupted by darkness and confusion before the gradual return of light restores hope and peace.
The collaboration began when Salt City Orchestra Board President Daniel Spears contacted the HutchCC Fine Arts Department about renting the college’s performance hall for future concerts. Following that discussion, Lee invited the orchestra to provide the string section for “Illuminare.”
Spears said the partnership offers an opportunity to highlight the orchestra’s musicians as the group prepares for its inaugural full concert in June at the Dillon Nature Center. He added that the board is focused on identifying a music director and expanding the orchestra’s roster.
Lee serves as director of choral activities at Hutchinson Community College. A native of Iowa, he has worked with choirs and students of varying ages and backgrounds for the past decade.
Spears is the music director for USD 444 Little River/Windom schools. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree in instrumental performance from Bethany College and a Master of Science in Education degree from Fort Hays State University. In addition to teaching, Spears remains active as a performer, composer and arranger in the Hutchinson area. He is a founding member of the Salt City Orchestra and currently serves as president of its board of directors.
The March 9 performance is open to the public and welcomes the community to experience an evening of music marking the transition into a new season.