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Elizabeth Pham

Mr. Mullinax

Vocal Music IV

11 December 2017

Performance Evaluation Essay for Winter Concert

The strongest portion of the program were the Chamber Singers because each one of

them understood how to create beautiful tone and were sensitive singers. One voice part never

overshadowed another, which helped to create a balanced blend. They were able to communicate

the message of the song with expressive facials and body language that captivated the audience.

The most memorable and strongest piece was “Nowhere Else But Home For Christmas” because

it completely captured the spirit of Christmas time and showed how adaptable the Chamber

Singers are at moving from one choral music style to another.

The weakest portion of the program was the Women’s Ensemble on the song “Spirit of

Life”, because they messed up at the beginning and lacked energy throughout the performance.

Another song that was weak includes “The World for Christmas” because without energy the

storytelling is boring and uninteresting. There was a lack of energy from many people across all

the choirs through facial expressions and how they approached the song. Articulation, body

language, and phrasing are key to radiating energy and most of the choirs failed to bring

emphasis to any of their pieces.

I mostly enjoyed listening to the other choirs perform their literature. I was pleasantly

surprised by the intro singers and their ability to blend. Most intro choirs lack the confidence to

sing out, but this choir demonstrated confidence in their notes and rhythms and some had

expressive body language and facial expressions. I also enjoyed listening to the men because it is
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not often that I am able to experience men singing sensitively about their emotions. They had

great tone and performed well. Performing literature that my choir has been working hard on was

rewarding because the overall concert went spectacular.

My friends and family in the audience enjoyed this concert because it exemplified the

spirit of Christmas. They particularly enjoyed the chamber pieces, especially “Nowhere Else But

Home For Christmas” because it gave them a sense of that pop music style. They also enjoyed

the soloist who sang that song with strong emotion and beautiful facial expressions. This concert

was successful in its ability to spread the cheer of Christmas and wonderful choral music.