Spring sings

Many students daydream their way through class. The members of
the University Chorus sing through theirs.

The chorus meets together as a class two times a week, during
which it prepares performances for the UCLA community and beyond.
Appearing together on a very limited basis, the group’s third
and last performance of the school year will be on Thursday at 8
p.m. in Schoenberg Hall. The “Spring Choral Concert”
showcases the talents of the chorus, supported by the UCLA Chamber
Singers.

Each member of the University Chorus joined the group for
varying reasons. As a second-year music composition student,
Michael Bang is required to take a performance class for his major,
though the chorus is hardly scholastically difficult.

Singing tenor in the choir, Bang had no prior voice training
besides singing as a child in a church choir, but the chorus offers
a more low-key atmosphere.

“The chorus is more relaxed; it’s fun and the songs
are pretty easy to sing,” Bang said. “All you have to
do in order to join is to be able to read music.”

Soprano Briana van Horn joined the chorus because it was an
activity that she had enjoyed in high school. Even though music has
nothing to do with her history major, the transfer student finds
the class the best way to end a stressful day.

“I took choir in high school and just signed up,”
Van Horn said. “It’s really fun, it really is.
It’s a nice relief at the end of the day.”

The choir members soon learned that it took more than vocal
talent to put on an amazing show. Alto Erin Cummings, a second-year
psychobiology student, loves singing but realizes that it is not
only one’s voice that makes a good performance, but
one’s poise and energy.

“You have to sing the songs with your whole body,”
Cummings said. “It’s not simply just singing;
it’s acting and expression. You have to look like you are
enjoying (it) for the notes to come out right.”

Van Horn took that idea step further.

“If you don’t love the song, you won’t be able
to present that to the audience,” she said.

Conducted by Paul Neal and Stephen Pu, the chorus will be
performing a plethora of songs including “Wade in the
Water” and a selection of writings by British poet Alfred,
Lord Tennyson set to music by UCLA music composition graduate
student Dwayne Milburn.

“Dwayne is one of my TAs,” Bang said. “The
Tennyson songs are beautiful songs. Although they are more
difficult to sing, they are more rewarding.”

Despite the popularity of more established pieces, the students
have been fascinated with Milburn’s work.

“They are not like any of the songs I’ve sung
before,” Cummings said. “They are each different and
have their own components.”

As the concert approaches, the chorus has put more effort into
preparing for the show.

“We get to class and start warm-ups and vocal
exercises,” van Horn said. “As we get closer to the
performance, we practice through each piece. Then we split up into
groups and perform each piece.”

Just going to class is enough for some, but others have been
inspired enough to work even harder at it, practicing on their own
time. Regardless, singing in chorus is a nice break from the
academic world.

“It’s a class you don’t have to worry
about,” van Horn said. “You just have to show up and
sing.”