April 13, 2010

Briar Cliff University to Present Fauré’s Requiem

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Briar Cliff University’s Department of Music will present “Fauré: Requiem, Op. 48,”at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 24, at First Presbyterian Church, 608 Nebraska Street, Downtown Sioux City. There is no admission charge for this concert, though a free-will offering will be accepted.

The purpose of the event is to offer the Sioux City community a complete performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem in its 1893 version.  The large performing forces will be led by the Briar Cliff University Singers, and also include members of the Siouxland Choral Artists, members of the Western Iowa Tech Singers, and a professional chamber orchestra. Several Briar Cliff alumni will be featured as soloists: soprano Sister Mary Day, OSF, DMA, associate professor of music and department chairperson at Briar Cliff, baritone William Darwin, Jr., a graduate student in vocal performance at USD, and organist Jayne Koch, minister of music at First Lutheran Church in Sioux City. In addition, Briar Cliff alumna and assistant professor of music Sister M. Arnold Staudt, OSF, will perform a special prelude of organ music by French composer Marcel Dupré. Serving as conductor for the event will be Sean Burton, DMA, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities at BCU.

“This particular Requiem is one of the most famous artistic monuments of Western Civilization.  Among the vast treasury of choral literature, Fauré’s Requiem is distinct from other settings of the Mass for the Dead in terms of its essence of intimacy and compassion,” said Dr. Burton. “Frequently one encounters a strong sense of judgment and terror in musical treatments of the Requiem though this is certainly not the case with Fauré.”

Enrollment at Briar Cliff University is over 1,100 students from 28 states. Students are educated in the Franciscan tradition of excellence in the liberal arts and career preparation in an environment of care, compassion and openness to all. For more information, please visit www.briarcliff.edu.

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