The McKay auditorium filled with audience members as the University Chorale prepared to perform their spring concert. Entitled, “A Look At The World,” the choir was directed by Lawrence Laureano, a senior from the Philippines majoring in vocal performance. Accompanied by Jennifer Duerden, a special instructor of piano, the Chorale performed songs from various genres including Broadway musicals and African-American spirituals.
Laureano has been directing concerts since the age of 16. This was his second semester directing for the Chorale. He said, “Doing University Chorale is almost not a job for me, because I find joy in doing it. I don’t see it as a job but as an opportunity to create wonderful music with students whose passion is to sing and inspire people through it.”
Without saying a word, Laureano turned his back to the audience, motioned to Duerden, and raised his arms to conduct. With precise movements, he swung his arms, conducting with absolute surety in his motions. The opening song of the concert was “Cantate Domino,” with its first verse sung in Latin, later switching to English. Thunderous applause followed while Laureano took a bow.
Following “Cantate Domino,” the Chorale sprang into action once again, singing “Look at the World,” by John Rutter. The lyrics praised God for His creation of the Earth and the life which inhabits it.
John Stokes, a freshman from New Jersey majoring in music, then took to the stage for a vocal solo of “This is My Father’s World,” accompanied by the violin. His deep tenor voice filled a silent auditorium as he sang, cast in the spotlight. According to Kregel publications, the song was inspired by the author’s trip to Niagara Falls, where he told his wife, he was going to “see his father’s world,” and references several Old and New Testament scriptures.
After receiving overwhelming applause plus several shouts from the audience, Stokes returned to his place on the stands. He was followed by a rendition of “Let Me Fly,” an African American spiritual which expressed the need for freedom and salvation. The Chorale incorporated more movement in their performance, swaying from side to side.
Laureano took a moment after the applause to announce the next song, entitled “Kruhay.” “’Kruhay’ means ‘long-lived,’ in Kinaray-a, a language native to Panay Island and in the central Philippines.
“The song is based on a folk-tale. It narrates the arrival of 10 Bornean datus exiled by their ruler, Sultan Makatunaw. They reached the shores of Antique in balangays (boats) and brought saduk (wide-brimmed hat) and kulintas (necklace) which they bartered with the indigenous Ati. This ethnic composition by Antiqueno musician, Benny F. Castillon, has been performed in some of the biggest choral competitions worldwide and often accompanied by tultog, a traditional ethnic bamboo percussion.”
Laureano then introduced the Filipino Choir Chapter singers, dressed in the traditional clothes which were seen at Culture Night. With bells on each hand, they began slowly, using only their voices, visibly singing at the top of their lungs. Later on, they brought the bells into play, along with the piano accompaniment from Duerden.
After a performance of “Across the Vast Eternal Sky” by Charles A. Silvestri and Ola Gjeilo, Elysse Hunt, a junior majoring in peacebuilding from Arizona, introduced the next songs. Both songs came from the musical “Once On This Island.” “One stormy night in the Antilles archipelago, thunder booms, making a small girl cry in fear,” Hunt said. “To comfort her, the village storytellers tell her the story of Ti Moune, a peasant girl who falls in love with a grand home, Daniel Beauxhomme.
“In ‘Once On This Island,’ there are four gods. Asaka: Mother of the Earth, Agwé: god of Water, Erzulie: goddess of Love, and Papa Ge: demon of Death. This is a story of life, love, grief, pain, faith, and hope. Years later, a young Ti Moune, now grown up, praised the gods to let her know her purpose in life.”
With these performances, the Chorale were accompanied by Dr. Jeffrey Duerden, Jennifer Duerden’s husband on the steel drum. Nicole Villejo, a senior from Honolulu majoring in music, sang the part of Ti Moune.
Beginning with the song “We Dance,” the Chorale fell silent as Villejo entered onto the stage, dressed very differently from the rest of them, wearing the costume of Ti Moune from the musical. Facing the audience directly, Villejo burst into the song “Waiting For Life,” as she conveyed Ti Moune’s desire to become something greater, in a prayer to the gods worshiped by the musical’s characters.
Every movement of Villejo’s face contained energy and excitement, inspired by the character of Ti Moune, accompanied by Dr. Duerden’s steel drums. By the end of the song, Villejo appeared to have used up all of her energy as the audience gave a roaring round of applause.
Reagan Spence, a freshman majoring in business from California, said “’Once On This Island’ is one of my favorite musicals. Hearing the songs from the Chorale reminded me how much I love living here and really captured the aloha spirit.”
Laureano addressed the audience and thanked them for attending the concert, and expressed his appreciation for being able to direct and for all he had been able to learn. “I’ve really learned the importance of collaboration and the importance of love and unity. I could never do this without an amazing pianist, Sister Jennifer Duerden.”
With the compliment, Duerden took a bow while the audience clapped for her. She and Laureano then exchanged their leis, which only caused more applause. Laureano announced the concert would conclude after two more songs: “And Can it Be” and “Good Night, My Love.” In a shift away from the louder ‘Once On This Island songs,’ the final performances were slower, ending the concert on a calm note.
Writer: Elijah Hadley