The Choral Chameleon performed a stunning, cohesive musical experience: “CONTROL: A Musical Journey within the Generation Gap” in Robison Hall on Saturday, Jan 18.
Any claim that the choral art form is one of the past was proven wrong in this performance. The Choral Chameleon displayed that choir can be a medium for reimagining the future and can be revitalized in a modern context.
The program combined a variety of genres and eras of music: “New arrangements of R&B/Pop tunes, Renaissance, Broadway, 20th Century Choral, Classical, and more,” Choral Chameleon chorister Drew Young said in an interview with The Campus. But these songs did not stand alone — together they took part in a conversation, telling a story.
“This program spans seemingly unconnected genres but with a clear throughline,” performer Christina Swanson said. This throughline was the soul of the performance exploring the complex, tumultuous and rewarding relationships between parents and children, considering how much power can be found in cross-generational understanding.
The concert’s themes stood out as a cohesive and meaningful expression of musicality and humanity. These connections were made evident through the emphasis on the text of the selections. Not only did Vince Peterson, director of the Choral Chameleon, recite and quote text from many pieces, but every text in full was included in the program for the audience to follow along with. Peterson also drew a connected narrative in his brief, lively and charming short speeches between sections of the concert.
While Peterson was guiding the audience through the musical journey, the singers themselves did a lot of the storytelling. From their voices to their facial expressions, they captured the bittersweet nature of these concepts and relationships. The ensemble was frequently swaying or engaging their body in some way through vocal or instrumental percussion. The arrangements involved several moments of overlapping and call/response which emphasized the dialogue. The singing itself was complex and beautiful with soaring soloists and beautifully blended harmonies, making for a sound both gentle and intense.
“Their musicianship is creative and thoughtful and they sang as one sound,” said concert attendee Mary Claire Dehaven.
Even though the singers have a lot of power in the artistry presented, another type of artistry and intention goes into the creation of the program.
“We want our concerts to be a mirror that we hold up to our audience…that provokes and invokes discernment,” Peterson said.
On a college campus, a home to students at a time of life in which the struggles of freedom and control between parents and children are particularly amplified, Peterson thought that this was the a that needed to be told.
Robison Hall seemed to be a microcosm for the very questions about generational differences and continuities the concert was asking. The audience was mostly comprised of an older population, with college students sprinkled throughout, while the stage was dominated by middle-aged adults. Each of these generations and each individual people have different experiences of age, life, relationships and freedom.
“[These themes are] applicable to everyone no matter what stage of life they're in,” said choir member and Middlebury alum Annie Beliveau ’18.
“It’s such a good theme because parents and kids are having a hard time understanding each other’s experience of gender,” added Dehaven during intermission.
Many of our issues in the U.S today, gender among them, involve elements of misunderstanding across generations. But misunderstanding, rebellion and tension between generations is nothing new. In the program note, Peterson connected the ways that rock and roll and hip-hop created controversy among parents.
“When children forge their own paths — paths that diverge from parental dreams — tensions can rise, leaving both sides feeling misunderstood,” Peterson wrote.
The Choral Chameleon is unlike a traditional choir in many ways. Their 16-person ensemble, hands-off conducting approach, electronic iPads and audience participation with choral settings of classic Bob Dylan, Janet Jackson and the Beatles brought this unconventional performance to life. The arrangements had similar quirks encouraging the audience to think differently. For example, hearing a song like “Control” by Janet Jackson or “The Times They Are A-Changin” by Bob Dylan in a choral arrangement gives the song a new and unexpected flair.
“The Choral Chameleon is a rare organization…one that values the singer as a professional musician, and works to expand the overall vision and perception of choral music,” Allison Coyne Carrol Performing Arts Series Director wrote in an email to The Campus.
The Choral Chameleon does not stay within the realm of what choral music is supposed to be. In line with this mission, the ensemble presented an out-of-the-box choral music installation on Wednesday evening in tandem with other local choirs called “I AM.”
Another unique element was the closing song, “Better People,” which while may be a little too on the nose, was still charming in driving the main point home. Together everyone in the room sang the chorus in unison: “If young people would talk to old people it would make us a better people all around.” This phrase took on other variations throughout the song, referencing current political and racial divides. It seemed as if the cross-generational singing and connection in the auditorium was a manifestation of exactly the point the song and program was trying to make.
The Choral Chameleon put on a show in true chameleon fashion, camouflaging and reflecting the questions of independence and freedom that young adults continue to ask on Middlebury’s campus and the possibility and hope that can be found in relationships and dialogues across the generational divide.
