
The Kirkwood Community College choir, led by Fred Kiser, associate professor of music, is working with students to prepare for the upcoming fall concert on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m. in Ballantyne Auditorium.
Kiser said the choir is working on a variety of opera pieces for the concert, including “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi, “Cheers” from Nixon in China, “The end of June 1945” from Doctor Atomic and many others.
Kiser said he carefully selects the music and helps the choir perfect it to be performance ready whether it be by practicing the selected pieces or by having the students work on vocal training and stretches.
Kiser said his love of music began at a young age. “I started taking piano lessons at 5 years old and I’ve always been involved in music,” he said.
The choir practices various activities to work on strengthening their bonds, improving their teamwork and solidifying their technique. They are growing as team.
Choir students shared what they enjoyed most about participating in choir. Hanna Reese, alto 1, said, “The best part of choir is hearing how my vocal part fits in with the whole group.”
She added the more the choir practices the better their voices blend together and they’re able to turn their own parts into a beautiful choral piece.
Nickolas Kruse, tenor, said, “My favorite part of choir is the environment and the vibes.”
The November performance is a ticketed event but Kirkwood students, faculty, and staff are admitted free with an EagleCard.
For more information, visit kirkwood.edu/ballantyne.
Categories: Art & Life