News

Those who missed the opportunity to hear the joint concert of the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera (CSO) and the Lee University Chorale are getting another chance. The concert, a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, will be broadcast on Classical 90.5 (WSMC) on Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. and on Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. The concert took place on Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Tivoli Theatre in downtown Chattanooga as a part of the Barnett and Company Masterworks Series.

Dr. William R. Green, Dean of Lee’s School of Music, directs Chorale, an ensemble of highly motivated vocalists who are selected by audition and perform a wide variety of traditional choral literature. In addition to music majors, membership represents a sampling of many of the majors offered by the university.

The Lee University String Quartet, conducted by Lee associate professor of music Xiaoqing Yu, provided music prior to the concert.

“We felt privileged to open the season with the CSO symphony and chorus,” Green said. “It was exciting to sing to a full house at the Tivoli.”

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was inspired by Friedrich Schiller’s poem “An die Freude” ([Ode] to Joy), which had captivated Beethoven since his youth. This work is the final complete symphony written by Beethoven and is considered among some critics to be the greatest piece of music ever written.

The CSO is conducted by Kayoko Dan, who has been the music director since 2011. Darrin Hassevoort serves as the director of the CSO Chorus. Soprano Pamela Hinchman, mezzo-soprano Rosella Ewing, tenor Daniel Weeks, and baritone Peter Volpe were featured as soloists during the concert.

For more information about the Lee University Chorale or the upcoming broadcast, contact the School of Music at (423) 614-8240.