The UW-Platteville choirs and symphony orchestra performed a total of six pieces on March 6, the first three being choir performances and the last three being orchestra performances. The first two piecees, “Let Their Celestial Concerts All Unite” and “Homeland,” were wonderful performances. The lyrics were of a religious nature which inspired the audience and created a sense of well-being and warmth. Both the University Singers and Concert Choirs complemented each other incredibly, with all of the talented students being of equal attention. Stephanie Klein conducted the group well and the pianist, Rob Shepherd, accompanied them with stunning grace. The third piece, regrettably, shifted that attention away from the students. 

The two choirs left the stage followed the Chamber Choir, conducted by Bob Demaree. The first movement was lively and fun, but the next two movements involved a shift and it was not necessarily for the better. The faculty member soloist, Rebekah Demaree, began singing. While her voice was very smooth and her talent shone, her inclusion in the show absolutely shifted the focus away from the choir, who were standing silently for most of the piece. The audience became uneasy, as if it felt a student should be showcasing their talent. It would have been delightful to hear a student perform such a remarkable piece. In the last movement, the choir joined Demaree, backing up her vocals. It was nice to hear the Chamber Choir participating in the performance once more. 

After a brief intermission, the Symphony Orchestra began their set. The first piece was “Oblivion,” which had an oboe solo in it. Once again, the soloist, Heather Huckleberry, was a faculty member, but this time the orchestra sang as she played. In the next song, “Bollywood Strings,” the violin soloist and student, William Houghton, accompanied the orchestra with his incredibly fast violin playing. The song was very catchy and an overall enjoyable piece. 

The last song of the evening was the fourth movement from “Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World.’ ” This song started off very intimidating, with the low notes that crescendoed into higher notes. This song was very reminiscent of John Williams’ scores, specifically those from “Jaws” and “Star Wars,” or rather, his scores sound like Dvořák’s pieces. The middle parts of the piece were thoughtful and introspective, almost belonging in a video game comparable to music in “The Legend of Zelda.” This was easily the best piece of the night, concluding this amazing concert. 

Conducting the orchestra was a new maestra, Megan Maddaleno. Maddaleno replaced former conductor Craig Mason who only had three rehearsals with the orchestra and did an amazing job conducting. Her quick and articulated movements showed her immersion into the pieces, allowing each instrument to come through incredibly clearly. It is absolutely remarkable how Maddaleno managed to incorporate her teaching into an unfamiliar orchestra and conduct them to perfection.