Choir group to host Sunday concert at NIU Music Building

By Jacob Roushia

DeKALB – Choir group Cor Cantiamo will be premiering its 10th Anniversary Concert at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall. The event will occur 3 p.m. Sunday in the Music Building. 

Cor Cantiamo is a professional level choir group, with a majority of the members being NIU alumni, Eric Johnson, Director of Cor Cantiamo, said. The group has practiced at least once a week for three hours in preparation for its events, he said. Members drive from places like Wisconsin and Chicago every week to make sure they are prepared for this concert, according to Johnson.

Audience members can expect “a high quality performance,” Johnson said including music from the Dominican Republic, Peru, Argentina and Ecuador. 

The organization asked composer Libby Larsen to create songs, for the 10th anniversary event. The performance will begin with Libby Larsen’s work titled, “Verdad/True.” 

“Verdad/True” is a 20 minute musical set centering on poetry by Gabriela Mistra, who had first hand experience with migrant families, according to the concert’s description. The set delves into the emotional aspect of being a part of a family, leaving your home and starting a new life, according to the description of “Verdad/True.”

The rest of the performance will involve music from South America and the culture surrounding it, Johnson said. The choir will be showcasing music from various countries on the continent. 

The group will end on music from a few different composers, including Johannes Brahms, Pablo Casals, Morten Lauridsen, Shawn Kirchner and Stavey Gibbs, according to the advertisement on the group’s website. 

Casals was regarded as one of the greatest [cellists] and composers of the twentieth century,” according to Notable Biographies. 

The concert is partially funded by a $10,000 grant given by the National Endowment for the Art, according to their website. 

Tickets are available via Ticket Leap. General admission is $10, student prices are $5 and children can go for free.