The Fullerton College Chamber Singers and Concert Choir performed well known pieces of music that ranged from folk, classical and spiritual in the Wilshire Auditorium on Saturday, March 25 for their Home Concert.
The Concert Choir was conducted by Nicola Bertoni, and the Chamber Singers were directed by John Tebay.
The choir started off the Home Concert with a piece by Mozart and delivered a well done rendition of widely recognized song “Ave Maria”.
“I’ve been working with Fullerton College for two years, but this is my first year with the Concert Choir. It has been thrilling and I love it,” Bertoni said, director of the Concert Choir.
Throughout the choirs performance, a rare but special transition was made. Bertoni introduced one of her students, Stephanie Khodzhayev, to conduct the ensemble to “Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal” by Alice Parker.
“I was nervous. My heart was racing and my feet were shaking. Even though you rehearse it a million times, it still feels brand new. It’s exhilarating. It’s the feeling when people say they go down a rollercoaster,” Khodzhayev explained, who’s majoring in music education.
Bertoni went on to explain that in a four year or any school with a graduate program, leadership usually comes from the upperclassmen or a graduate assistant who are paid to help. But something special about a two year is the fact that leadership comes from people who are just underclassmen.
Along with parents and friends who went to enjoy a night filled with songs of poetry, students also showed up who were unaware of the talented choirs.
“I’ve never heard of them and I didn’t know they were this great, so I really did enjoy their performances,” Jasmyn Recinos said, a psychology major at FC.
The chamber singers took the stage that was then directed by John Tebay. The choir began with a tranquil yet powerful hymn.
“I was moved myself, emotionally, by the way they communicated and sang each song in front of the audience,” Tebay said.
The chamber singers were then accompanied by string instruments, adding more intensity and volume to each note and each verse being sung by the performers.
As the choir wrapped up their set, they ended with an unique and unexpected choreography. The arrangement also consisted of shouts and powerful facial expressions.
Tebay ended on a clear note and said, “Lets celebrate the fact that we did really well tonight, and then tomorrow lets think on how can we do this better so we keep growing.”
