The UALR Concert Choir, under the leadership of conductor Kristina Marinova, will present its concert “In Journey Together…” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in Stella Boyle-Smith Concert Hall, located in the UALR Fine Arts Building.

The concert is free and open to the public.

“In Journey Together…” is a program of sacred and secular music composed by contemporary composers from around the world.  It is a compilation of choral works characterized by expressive phrasing, complex texture, and long musical lines.

Praise and gratitude is a common theme expressed throughout these works. In many selections, “Alleluia” is set to music to express the joy people experience throughout their lives.

Audiences are familiar with the word “Alleluia” as a religious expression of praise, but this concert uniquely features the use of religious text and compositional techniques to produce secular expressions of joy. Many contemporary composers have chosen to express their joy and gratitude for worldly experiences within a sacred genre.

Performances set for Spring semester

The UALR Concert Choir will continue its season in the spring of 2014 with collaborative performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on March 1 and 2, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with the UALR Community Chorus on April 29 and 30.

The UALR Choral Program welcomes new singers regardless of prior musical experience. There is an appropriate ensemble for singers of all levels. Prospective new singers are encouraged to join the ensemble in January 2014, when rehearsals begin during the first week of classes.

For more information about the UALR Concert Choir or UALR Community Chorus, contact Dr. Bevan Keating at btkeating@ualr.edu, Dr. Karen Kuralt at (501) 569-8334 or kmkuralt@ualr.edu, or Sharon Downs at (501)569-8252 or sadowns@ualr.edu.