The Wichita Chamber Chorale will present its Choral Classics spring concert, entitled “Earth, Sea, and Sky.” Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31 and 4:00 p.m. Sunday, April 1, 2012, both at Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton in Wichita.

Through a varied program of offerings ranging from folk songs to avant garde compositions, the Chorale will examine our relationship to nature through the beauty of the most natural of instruments, the human voice. The concert will feature pieces by Chinese-American composer Zhou Long, “Words of the Sun,” György Ligeti, “Night” and “Morning” (sung in Hungarian), Morten Lauridsen, “Les Chansons des Roses” (sung in French), and works by Johannes Brahms, Clement Janequin and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Starting in 2011, the WCC established a yearly partnership program with a selected school or community vocal music program for that entire concert season. For the 2011-2012 year, the Madrigal Choir from Wichita Heights High School, Mark E. Walker conductor, has been selected and will perform with the Chorale on this concert. Because of this partnership, all high school students attending this concert will be admitted free of charge. A quartet of Chamber Chorale members will also visit a Heights choir rehearsal this spring to perform, sing with the students, and participate in Q and A.

“The membership of Wichita Chamber Chorale consists of professional-caliber singers, many of whom are music educators.” says WCC Music Director Mark Bartel. “This choir understands music education at the grass-roots level. What better way to support music education in the schools, and to build a foundation for the growth of choral music in our communities? We feel this is a win-win situation and are very excited to work with Mark Walker and the Heights students.”

The Wichita Chamber Chorale is lauded as Wichita’s premiere choral ensemble. In July 2010, Dr. Mark Bartel was appointed Artistic Director and Conductor of the Wichita Chamber Chorale, the third artistic director in the choir’s 34-year history. Dr. Bartel is in his seventh year as Director of Choral Music at Friends University and Conductor of the Singing Quakers. Organist and pianist Julie Warkentin accompanies the WCC ensemble.

Tickets are available at Senseney Music Company, 2300 E Lincoln, Wichita. They may also be purchased online, at the door, or by telephone, (316) 259-9683.