Wallace State Community College’s Fine and Performing Arts Department will host “Chaos to Connection” on Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15 at 7 p.m., at the Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre in the Gudger Student Center.
The concert will feature Wallace State’s vocal ensembles, the Wallace State Singers and the Concert Choir, who will use the power of song to weave together a story for every person, every experience and every heart who has ever need to find peace, love and joy, said Tiffany Richter, director of the vocal ensembles.
“The world is filled with chaos, confusion, division, fear, isolation and loneliness,” Richter said. “We hope this concert provides a respite from that chaos and allows us to come together to connect in hope, love and harmony.”
The concert will include songs from all genres – soul, pop, country and gospel. One of the songs to be performed by the Concert Choir is “Even When He is Silent,” which is based on a piece of poetry found on a concentration camp wall.
Covers of contemporary artists like Coldplay and Paramore will be mixed with classic from the Beatles and Marvin Gaye.
“We are using pieces of music from all different styles to create the running theme of finding hope in the hopeless,” Richter said.
Interspersed among the musical performances will readings from literature and even social media.
“The readings are to illuminate how we speak to each other and how it adds to the chaos of our culture,” Richter said. “Social media has made it very easy to seemingly say things that don’t have consequences attached.”
Richter will lead the groups on a tour to perform the show in Washington, D.C. the March 21-26. Proceeds from the March 14-15 concerts will go toward that trip.
Other upcoming shows offered by the Wallace State Fine and Performing Arts programs include:
— March 20: Spring Showcase, Burrow Center Recital Hall
— April 3: Solo & Chamber Ensemble Recital, Burrow Center Recital Hall
— April 11-13: Little Women, Betty Leeth Haynes Theatre
— April 18: Big Band Dance, Burrow Center
— April 24: Spring Under the Stars, Burrow Center