The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By Virginia Ross, The Quill
Needing no accompaniment, four men and two women filled the Burlington Auditorium at Civic Music with unbeatable harmony thanks to Southeastern College's sponsorship of the concert.
The British group, coming from a variety of background from Westminster Abbey choristers to classical training at prestige universities and cathedrals, blended a seductive, amazing versatility of sound.
On a states-wide 7 week tour of over 2,500 miles by car beginning in Wyoming, the group in their fifth year of singing has brought excellence on several continents.
Sitting in the cheap seats, to me the best ones in the house, I joined the friendly assembly of friends and families on Monday night and experienced a real treat.
Some argue that the floor seating is by far the best, but don't let not paying the extra price for it stop you for coming-actually there is no bad seats as the sound permeates the entire auditorium.
If you need to see the performers' eyes, bring a pair of opera glasses.
In this case, no sets were used and the changing color of the background was matched to the song.
Simple suits for the men and sheath dresses for the two women centered the audience's attention on the music unless some staging was used in the numbers.
As for selections, they included a wide variety-church music, jazz, popular, rock and roll, a spiritual, an interpretation of a folk song ending with a bow to opera.
Throughout a blend of voices enraptured the audience with their version of "I Got Rhythm, " "Fever," "Steal Away," "This Marriage," written for the Royal Wedding of 2011, popular songs from James Bond movies, "Maria" from Westside Story to a Jim Clements' arrangement of the American folk song, "Shenandoah" and several more.
Always appearing to have a good time, the group mesmerized the listeners with their range from Bach to Elvis. "Il est bel et bon," (All is well and Good) was sung by three men and one woman portraying four old women in a French market-just an example of the variety and versatility of the group and numbers offered.
According to their calendar, the group is now in Rock Island through March 3rd where they are conducting three workshops a day in local schools helping inspire students. On Saturday, they will be conducting a concert at the Galvin Fine Arts Center, St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
Their seven week US 2012 tour began January 26, 2012 at the United Methodist Church in Manchester, Missouri and will end March 9th in Albany, Indiania University Southeast Campus.
The next Burlington Civic Music Association event is scheduled for April 11th-the Red Star Army Chorus and Dance Ensemble which you can check out on you-tube. Make plans now to attend. There are tickets available at the door.