Written by: Mattie Kiser
The first order of the Cardinal Chorale for day 5 was eating breakfast to begin the day! Singers checked in with their resident assistants answering the question “If you were a soup, what would you be?” It seems most of our choir identifies with traditional chicken noodle soup.
After a hearty breakfast, singers took the trek to Walter Hall to warm up for the day. After many mumbling mice made midnight music in the moonlight, the sopranos/altos and tenors/basses began sectionals.
One of our favorite parts of the day was next on the schedule: lunch! We were very excited to learn that it was the long awaited meal of chicken nuggets, fries, and mashed potatoes.
Once again we were back for rehearsal, this time for parts split up by sections. For a second elective experience, singers attended their second choice of enrichment class.
The singers came together again for a full rehearsal, stitching together all of the pieces we learned prior in the day. For the first time this week, we were able to deliver a Cardinal Chorale-level performance, showing we had the potential to be phenomenal for our premiere concert on the 26th.
Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for: dinner. Graciously served as always by the Muskingum staff, chicken parmesan was the perfect way to energize us for what was to come.
For a final rehearsal of the day, the Chorale gathered to work on even more songs, motivated to learn every piece inside and out.
Our performance for the night included a very personal one for the Cardinal Chorale, as two alumni returned to be interviewed and sing for us. We were so excited to have Kristin Lawler and Joey McClain with us. Hosted by Chorale staff Matt Downing, they put on “Heart to Heart: A “Wild Card” Cabaret” with Q&A about different forms of love. Singing songs from Dear Evan Hansen, “Just Around the Riverbend” and “No One Is Alone”, their audience felt every feeling from their amazing performances and connection with their chosen pieces. Not a dry eye in the house.
We ended the night with a Chorale circle, sharing joys of the day and expectations for the following. This marked past the halfway point for our 2025 Workshop! We are getting even closer to our final concert on Saturday, July 26th! We cannot wait to share this repertoire and these amazing singers with you!