The lights dimmed, and the harmony of the Fullerton College choir and concert singers filled the space inside Wilshire Auditorium on Oct. 29. The concert was not just a choir performance but a celebration of community, resilience, and even interpersonal human connection through song.
The fall “Arise” concert was directed by professors John Tabei and Zachary Lindquist.
“These students work so hard and sing such beautiful music. In a world that feels divided, we need more storytelling and shared human experiences like this,” said Lindquist.
The theme of the 13-song program was an emotional experience. According to Lindquist, each piece explored different interpretations of what it means to arise, whether from grief, isolation, or even a new era of joy. He said the heart of “Arise” lies in more than just the performance, it’s a reflection of Fullerton College’s vibrant art community.
The concert featured “Bright Morning Star” by Fred Squatrito. The gentle harmonies of the song were both warm and calming. The line “My friends are all around me. Their loving arms surround me,” reminded the audience of community connection.
Lindquist said that this piece anchored his debut semester as conductor of the Fullerton College Concert Choir.
“That was the piece that started it all for me. I performed it back in high school myself, and I thought this would be a great piece for this ensemble to learn,” said Lindquist.
The wordless composition “Fire from Elements” by Katerina Gimon opened with a raw screeching vocal technique. The piece offered a powerful visual and auditory experience with earth’s elements.
“Evocation,” by Hye-Young Cho, is a Korean song inspired by poet Sowol Kim. The theme of the ballad is memory, grief, and healing.
“We often get in this cycle of grief after we lose people,” said Lindquist. “How we then have to lift ourselves up and break that cycle in order to move forward.”
Fullerton College’s head golf coach and faculty senator, Naveen Kanal, came to support one of his students and choir member, Cindy Yang.
“The amount of energy in “Fire” was incredible,” Kanal said. “If I had 75 golfers with that kind of drive, we’d win the state championship. Like that kind of energy was amazing!”
Yang, a music major, said a piece that resonated with her was “Evocation.” For her, the night’s performance was about more than technical skill, it was about community.
“The theme of our concert is Arise. The word suggests, to arise from any hardships and come together as a community,” said Yang. “We’re not all music majors. There are people from different backgrounds who come together twice a week. Music becomes our common language.”