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Southeastern Chorale to Perform with Grammy Honorees

By SOUTHEASTERN PUBLIC INFORMATION
March 10, 2008

DURANT, Okla. ­ Southeastern Oklahoma State Univeristy¹s vocal ensemble, the Southeastern Chorale, will play host to two Grammy Award honorees the week of April 13-18.

Craig Hella Johnson, conductor for the Grammy-nominated choral ensemble Conspirare, and Cynthia Clawson, Grammy Award-winning vocalist and five-time Dove Award winner, will join the Southeastern Chorale for a series of open rehearsals and concerts throughout the week. The week-long residency will culminate in concert performances on Thursday, April 17, and Friday, April 18. The concerts will be held in the SOSU Fine Arts Recital Hall beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for this event are $15 for adults, and $5 for students.

In addition to serving as conductor and artistic director for Conspirare, Craig Hella Johnson is also a songwriter, composer, arranger, pianist and singer. A native of Minnesota, Johnson studied at St. Olaf College, the Juilliard School, the University of Illinois, and Yale University. Under the auspices of a National Arts Fellowship, he was a student of Helmuth Rilling at the International Bach Academy in Stuttgart. In addition to performances of the classical repertoire, Craig Hella Johnson has continued to explore the relationship and interconnectedness of various musical styles and to play at the boundary between classical and popular music and between sacred and secular music. Many have referred to this distinctive "collage" style as a compelling and provocative aspect of his concert programs. He is partnering with the Southeastern Chorale in creating a collage concert for this event. Music will range from chant to popular music to contemporary choral works. Craig has most recently been in residency at St. Olaf College and Westminster Choir College.

Craig will be joined by guest soloist Cynthia Clawson for this event.

Cynthia Clawson has been singing the gospel for more than four decades. Called "The most awesome voice in gospel music" by Billboard Magazine, she has received a Grammy and five Dove Awards for her work. Her rendition of Softly and Tenderly set the evocative tone for the soundtrack of the Academy Award-winning movie The Trip to Bountiful. In 1998, she recorded a cast album of gospel songs for a revival of the musical Smoke on the Mountain, which opened at the Lambs Theatre in New York City.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Southeastern Oklahoma State Department of Fine Arts at 745-2088, or the choral office at 745-2222.