Kemper Unplugged: "Harmony of Colors" Chamber Choir and Vocal Soloists

Co-sponsor: Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

Take a break in your day to hear Washington University faculty and students from the Department of Music, Arts & Sciences, in intimate chamber music and acoustic solo performances surrounded by art.

Today’s program by the Chamber Choir and soloists from the Voice Division focuses on colors in music and is inspired by Wassily Kandinsky’s quote “Our hearing of colours is so precise ... Colour is a means of exerting a direct influence upon the soul. Colour is the keyboard. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many strings. The artist is the hand that purposely sets the soul vibrating by means of this or that key. Thus it is clear that the harmony of colours can only be based upon the principle of purposefully touching the human soul."

Arrive early or stay after to grab lunch at the Museum’s Coffee Bar. Enjoy ice cream sandwiches from Sugarwitch, savory deli sandwiches from Parker’s Table, and pastries from Colleen’s. Members get 10% off your purchase with every visit. Learn more and join here.

These 45-minute concerts are free and open to the public.

Program
Serpents in Red Roses Hissing (2013) from Color Madrigals by Joshua Shank
Good Night, Dear Heart (2009) by Dan Forrest
False Love from From the Bavarian Highlands, Op. 27 (1895) by Edward Elgar, Sandra Geary, piano
Wade in the Water (1997) Traditional Spiritual arranged by Moses Hogan, Meghan Elliott, Nicholas Chiu, Crystal Lovato, soloists

Evergreen by Janee Bennett, George Moore, and Abbey Smith, Juana Derdoy, soprano, Sandra Geary, piano
Autumn Leaves words by Johnny Mercer, music by Joseph Kosma, Monica Chen, soprano, Sandra Geary, piano
Blue Bossa by Kenny Dorham, Tatyana Tolliver-Hughes, mezzo soprano, Ardan Carlisle, piano

Trois beaux oiseaux du Paradis from Trois Chansons (1915) by Maurice Ravel – Sarah Price, soprano soloist; Jared Berger, Katie Furby, Matthew Sullivan, student soloists
Big Yellow Taxi (1970/2023) by Joni Mitchell, arranged by Matt and Adam Podd, Sandra Geary, piano, Matthew Sullivan, percussion
Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George (1984) by Stephen Sondheim, arranged by Mac Huff, Sandra Geary, piano

Chamber Choir
John McDonald, conductor

Soprano
Katie Furby
Lily Johnson
Josie Kopff
Crystal Lovato
Maya Tylis
Abi Wileman

Alto
Melena Braggs
Meghan Elliott
Sophia Myers
Ava Silverstein
Addis Tafasse

Tenor
Jared Berger
Martin Ibarra
Maseo Mercer
Matthew Sullivan

Bass
Nicholas Chiu
Reece Gray
Oliver Gu
Marcus Negron
Caleb Rhodes
Max Spinner