Fine Arts Concert - May 13, 2011

International Baptist College held its annual fine arts concert on May 13. The College Choir was joined by the newly-formed IBC Chamber Singers. The chamber orchestra included members from Tri-City Ministries and area guest artists.

This year's concert featured several comical works as well as serious musical pieces. Starting out the concert were the Chamber Singers performing a variety of madrigals. The Chamber Singers is a newly-formed, auditioned group designed to provide members with experience in advanced ensemble singing.

Following the Chamber Singers, the College Choir performed the musical joke "Lambscapes," which includes several inventive variations of the traditional children's song "Mary Had a Little Lamb." After a short intermission, the IBC Chamber Orchestra performed Saint-Saëns' famous The Carnival of the Animals with Pastor Jim Sproul narrating Ogden Nash's corresponding poetic work.

The theme was chosen over a year ago when the late Tiffany Brock, piano department head, suggested featuring The Carnival. The piece is relatively short and accessible to a wide-ranging audience with its fun and familiar music. Dr. Bryson adapted the music to fit IBC's strengths. For example, during the elephant theme, the tuba was used instead of the string bass because brass teacher Mr. Ted Anderson plays the tuba. Two pianos do the majority of the work and a variety of IBC current students, alumni, and faculty performed on Tiffany Brock's personal piano, on loan from IBC President Pastor David Brock, and the new concert grand piano recently purchased through the Tiffany Davis Brock Memorial Fund. Tiffany's mother flew in from Colorado for the piano's debut concert.

The concert showcased what has been accomplished with IBC's music program in the past several years. The College Choir and the music program in general have come a long way in a short time, and it is exciting to consider the future of IBC's music program.

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