Chamber Singers to kick off concert tour in Ripon March 8

The annual spring break tour of the Ripon College Chamber Singers will be held in March with concerts in Ripon, Winneconne, Holy Hill in Hubertus, Chicago and Madison.

The performances will include a variety of pieces performed by the ensemble, who will be joined by guest choirs at select locations. Each concert will be free and open to the public.

The kickoff concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts, at Ripon College. The guest will be the Berlin Middle School Choir.

Selections will include: “My Spirit Sang All Day,” by Gerald Finzi; “Rytmus,” by Ivan Hrušovský; “Ave Verum Corpus” by William Byrd; “Ave Maria … virgo serena,” by Josquin; “O Heiland reiß die Himmel auf,” by Johannes Brahms; “Ubi Caritas,” by Ola Gjeilo; “‘Suite’ de Lorca,” by Einojuhani Rautavaara; “Desh,” arranged by Ethan Sperry; “Alleluia,” by Ralph Manuel; “The Blue Bird,” by Charles V. Stanford; “Water Fountain,” arranged by Kristopher Fulton; “Country Dances,” by Ward Swingle; and “The Road Home,” by Stephen Paulus.

Tour performances are scheduled:

• Friday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., Winneconne Community Arts Center, Winneconne, Wisconsin, with the Winneconne High School Concert Choir.
• Saturday, March 14, 7 p.m., Holy Hill Basilica, Hubertus, Wisconsin, with the Hartford Union High School Concert Choir.
• Sunday, March 15, 7:30 p.m., St. James Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois.
• Monday, March 16, 7 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Tuesday, March 17, noon, State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin.
• Tuesday, March 17, 7:30 p.m., Luther Memorial Church, Madison, Wisconsin, with the Luther Memorial Church Adult Choir.

The conductor of the Ripon College Chamber Singers is John C. Hughes, chair of the music department, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities.