A beautiful "Sound in the Land"!
Rockway’s Concert Combo, comprised of an auditioned core group of singers from the Grade 11-12 Senior Choir, was making some lovely sounds last weekend.
We were invited to sing with four other Mennonite musical ensembles as part of the Sound in the Land Music Festival. This conference featured keynote speakers from around the world, academic papers, experiential workshops and many performances of various musical genres, all with the theme of Music and the Environment.
We sang four pieces composed by Mennonite composers or arrangers – three of them Canadian. You can watch a clip of our performance here:
A word about the music:
- There is No Creation That Does Not Have a Radiance by Carol Dyck
- Weisst du wieviel Sterne stehen by Esther Wiebe
- A Clear Midnight by a young Mennonite composer, Patrick Ressler
- I Dreamed of Rain by Jan Garrett and arranged by Larry Nickel
Thanks to Ms. Schultz for accompanying us that evening. The choir sang very well and received many appreciative comments from the audience. Significantly, Rockway students had opportunity to meet many composers of Mennonite music in person. They were also reminded that they are part of a larger body of Mennonite music makers who are composing and performing fine choral music around the globe.
Marlys Neufeldt, Music Department Head
