This semester Houghton will be welcoming the new vocal ensemble, the Houghton Singers. This group will be dedicated to bringing more contemporary arrangements, including hits from The Beatles and Tom Petty. The Singers’ coordinator, Kevin Dibble, said the idea for this group began last year when Voces8 performed on campus and was received with an “overwhelming interest”. The Houghton Singers hope to reflect a similar acapella sound.
Traditionally, the Houghton Music Department has been devoted to the genre of classical music. Dibble, Assistant Director of Choral Activities, acknowledges that while it is still important to study and perform conventional pieces, it is also vital to “recognize that the world of music is changing”. Houghton is now providing a more diverse course offering that include studies in commercial compositional activity and music business. The Houghton Singers look forward to being a continuation of the recent appreciation for a more varied music scene on campus.
Simba Kamuriwo, a senior music major, is just one of the 13 vocalists that make up the Houghton Singers. Kamuriwo is looking forward to “giving more variety to the music program that already exists,” and describes the group as a “selection of different students from numerous studies”. The ensemble consists of both undergraduate and graduate students.
One hope that the Houghton Singers have as a group is to encourage the idea that music at Houghton is for everyone. Dibble also serves as Coordinator of Music Admissions and Recruitment, and said that part of the institution’s plan as a liberal arts college is to have the opportunity for all to participate in the music program, whether or not it is their area of study. This group has the potential to attract more people who may have been turned off from the previous repertoire. Dibble is excited to have the chance to “marry” the classical and the contemporary music worlds.
Admittance into the Houghton Singers was very selective, beginning with initial auditions, followed by callbacks held Friday, September 6. After the ensemble’s first rehearsal, Kamuriwo was “impressed by the level of commitment” evident in the group. Kamuriwo is looking forward to getting to know his fellow vocalists and said, “We have a common goal that drives us . . . we are all going to put our hearts into this, work hard, and set a standard for performing in this genre.”
Sophomore Religion major, Hope McKeever, who will be singing alto in the Houghton Singers, is just one of the vocalists that will be adding to the diversity of this new group. McKeever has previously sung in various choirs, festivals, and musicals. She described her current involvement with the Singers as her, “first musical endeavor at Houghton” and said this is an unique opportunity for students. Although Mckeever is not studying music, she can find connections between her area of study and this ensemble. and said she, “appreciates the relationship of discipline as well as the ability of gaining a new perspective”.
In looking toward the future, the Houghton Singers are excited to sing in chapel and SPOT as well as travel to local schools. This vocal ensemble plans to serve as ambassadors; outreaching and connecting with others through music. This is especially feasible due to the group’s convenient small size, which opens the door to more possibilities.
Most importantly, Kevin Dibble said that the goal behind the Houghton Singers is to have a “clear intention for God . . . although the music may be secular, every performance [will] be given to God as another way to thank Him for gifts He has given.”