The Laurentian Singers’ first concerts of the 2018-2019 year were held on Friday, Sept. 28, and Saturday, Sept. 29. The theme of the concerts was American Music, to coincide with their tour destinations of Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. next semester.

The pieces in the program included traditional songs such as “Down to the River to Pray” and “Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal,” spirituals such as “Walk with Me, Lord” and “Who’ll Be a Witness” and “A Natural Woman” to honor Aretha Franklin. As always, the concert concluded with the songs of St. Lawrence: “Chapel Bells,” “A Tribute,” and the St. Lawrence Alma Mater.

Barry Torres, director of the Laurentian Singers, said “I thought it went really well considering we had three and a half weeks to put together a concert—most people are used to having months.” He added that “we always have a nice crowd” and it is a “nice way to start the year off.”

Breana Griffin ’19 has been in Laurentian Singers every semester that she has attended St. Lawrence. “My experience of being a member of the Laurentian Singers has been extremely rewarding. Joining voices with your peers and painting smiles on the faces of others is an experience unlike anything else,” she said.

Torres explained that deciding what music to perform is complex. “Destination does have something to do with it” he said. Additionally, he said he always asks the group what they want to sing. “Some is serendipity,” he also said.

He does try to make a balanced program, he explained, including sacred and secular, popular and classical music, to make “a mix of things that work.”

This year, the Laurentian Singers welcomed six new members. Torres said that around 20 people usually audition, but only nine (auditioned) this year. This drop in numbers is a recent development, Torres said.

He said that there are “trends going on” that are “a little alarming,” but “a lot of dynamics can go into this.” The music department is “looking into reasons why” the numbers have dropped.

One explanation Torres offered was a lack of awareness. “We have to hold auditions so early in the semester that people just don’t know (about them)even though we try to get the word out in lots of ways.” He also said that “everybody’s concerned about organizing their time and having enough time for things.”

The next major concert for the Laurentian Singers is on Thursday, Oct. 25. Paul Siskind, an adjunct professor in the First Year Program, wrote a piece for the Laurentian Singers to perform with the Alexander String Quartet, Torres explained. It will be a world premiere. “No one has ever done this music,” he said.

Siskind’s performance notes, provide by Torres, say that the piece was originally intended to be two movements solely for the string quartet. Torres and the Alexander String Quartet then approached Siskind about adding a chorus part, so it was expanded into four movements, three of which will feature the chorus, the notes also say.

The piece, “String Quartet No. 3: Metamorphoses” will include a “Prologue” movement, a movement inspired by the tale of Icarus, a middle movement, “Lament,” and a movement based on the story of the Phoenix, the notes say.

Torres says the performance will be “a big deal.”