THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410190186
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03K EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARLENE FORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
The back view of the 100 students singing and playing instruments looked like a pep rally for the arts. Chairs were draped in team jackets that read Kellam Madrigals or Cox Marching Falcons. One singer was doing leg stretches to the beat of the flute solo, while another reached for angelic high notes while dressed in her school tennis team uniform and shoes.
The combined chorus and orchestra of Cox and Kellam high schools were in the final preparation for their first joint concert, a performance of ``Requiem'' by John Rutter to be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Virginia Beach United Methodist Church. The concert is jointly conducted by Lisa Ellerbee, Kellam choral director and Wendy van Gent, Cox choral director.
``Gentlemen, I'd like to see you focus. When you sing `in the midst of life you are in death,' '' don't give me a big grin,'' Ellerbee, called. Then she mugged a big grin herself that sent a few of the baritones off their seats.
On the positive side, she added, ``But what you all did on page 41, now that was awesome. You build it, build it, build the line; then smack - let it rip.''
During rests, timpanist Jen Morgan nodded agreement to her musical partner, percussionist Robert Glover. ``It impresses me. Sounds good already,'' she said quietly. Morgan is a Cox sophomore and Glover, a junior at Kellam.
It should sound good. This has been no minor undertaking. The 20 orchestra and 80 chorus members have spent the last two months rehearsing. They began with a high intensity, 24-hour ``lock-in'' at Cox in August just to get started. Since then they've rehearsed daily in their individual schools and by concert time will have met together for four Monday night mega-sessions.
According to van Gent, ``We love to do major works like this ``Requiem,'' but so often we don't have big enough programs. It's a natural to combine the schools. And the other reason we want to do this is that often schools are pitted against each other. This is a chance to work together.''
The church was picked for the performance because of its good acoustics, but also to present the effort on ``neutral ground'' for both schools. The church and school choral boosters are providing a reception for audience and artists.
The practices have been of a generally serious nature, the students recalled. A requiem is, after all, a mass for the dead. However, serious didn't mean they couldn't have fun.
``I remember the lock-in was very exciting,'' said Amy Wilson, a Kellam senior. ``There was a lot of practicing, some movies and some games with toilet paper that I never quite got the point of. But that whole experience helped make us like a family.''
Mike Oakley, a Cox freshman, said: ``This summer was kind of nerve wracking. It was my first time in the school and I didn't know anybody. Now I do.''
Kellam sophomore Chris Farabaugh, added: ``I'm a tenor and I could hit the high notes in the summer - just not very well. Now I've got them.''
With mock solemnity Kellam senior, Leigh Dodson, said: ``Oh yes, sometimes rehearsals were so intense that Mrs. Ellerbee would lose control and smack herself in the head while she was conducting - but she'd just keep going.''
Stepping down and tagging van Gent to take the baton for the next movement, Ellerbee said, ``I've been at college rehearsals that didn't go this smoothly. It's great that high school students have this opportunity, and that we can work off each other's strengths.''
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 496-6767. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARLENE FORD
James Barnes, a sophomore at Cox High School, plays string bass at
rehearsals for Tuesday's performance of ``Requiem.''
Kellam High junior Robert Falvey will play the horn in the combined
orchestra.
The 80 students from Cox and Kellam high schools who make up the
chorus have been rehearsing for Tuesday's performance two months.
WHEN & WHERE
A joint choral concert of ``Requiem,'' by John Rutter, performed
by a combined chorus and orchestra of students from Cox and Kellam
high schools at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Virginia Beach United Methodist
Church, 19th Street and Pacific Avenue. Free.
For more information, call 496-6767.
by CNB