The Choral Program
at Central Community College

When Jeff Kitson walked on campus for the first time in the Fall of 2006, there were just 16 singers in the College Chorus (the large ensemble). By the spring semester, that number had doubled. Three years later in the Fall of 2009, enrollment grew to over 50 singers. Spectrum grew to 20 from the original eight (comprised of four sopranos, one alto, two tenors, and a bass) and Alethea, a new select ensemble for female voices was born.

The choirs hold regular concerts and perform in the community and around the state as time permits. In 2007, CCC choral student Carla Stenzel was selected to perform in the  ACDA Two Year College Honor Choir held at the national conference in Miami. She was the only student from Nebraska to be selected.

The Ensembles:

Spectrum is a 20-voice ensemble dedicated to the study and performance of music from the Renaissance to the Contemporary periods not generally suited for larger choral ensembles. In 2008, they became the first two-year college ensemble to perform at the  Nebraska Music Educators conference held annually in Lincoln, NE. Because of this performance, this year they also became the first two-year college ensemble to sing in the Nebraska Intercollegiate Choral Festival, performing alongside the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Univ. Nebraska-Omaha, Doane College, and Nebraska Wesleyan. In addition to these larger performances, Spectrum performs regularly throughout the year both on campus and in the Columbus community. Singers come from all majors, must audition, and are selected for vocal and sight-reading abilities.

Alethea (pronounced: uh-LAY-thee-uh, the Greek word for divine truth) is a 12-voice select women’s ensemble to provide more opportunities for a select ensemble experience at CCC and to explore the expanding SSA repertoire. Alethea was founded in 2008 by Jeffrey Kitson.

The College Chorus is a 51-voice ensemble made up of students from all academic majors and program areas. No formal audition is required. Rehearsals are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons. Repertoire focuses on works of every stylistic period.

Concerts are held for all ensembles are held twice per semester on the campus of Central Community College in Columbus. Admission is usually free. Please see the events page for more details.

Notable Performances:
Nebraska Intercollegiate Choral Festival 2009
Nebraska Music Educators Assoc. Conference 2008

Selected Repertoire:

Anonymous – O Bone Jesu, Non Nobis Domine (attrib. William Byrd)

Barnes, Eric Lane – Lambscapes

Barnum, Eric William – Panis Angelicus

Barnwell, Ysaye – Breaths

Berg, Ken – Solfege Suite

Britten, Benjamin – Rejoice in the Lamb

Copland, Aaron – I Bought Me a Cat, Zion’s Walls (The Promise of Living)

Kesselman, Lee – Hush a Bah, Birdie

Meader, Darmon – That Ever I Saw, The Tortoise and the Hare

Mozart, W.A. – Veni Sancte Spiritus

Palestrina, G.P. – Adoramus Te, Christe; Sicut Cervus

Pärt, Arvo – Bogoroditse Devo

Ray, Robert – He Never Failed Me, Yet

Stravinsky, Igor – Ave Maria

Stroope, Z. Randall – Inscription of Hope,Old Horatius Had a Farm, Omnia Sol

Tallis, Thomas – If Ye Love Me

Thomas, Andre (arr.) – Keep Your Lamps

Wilby, Philip – North Country Folksongs

Musical Theatre:
CCC:
Grease (Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey)
Songs for a New World (Jason Robert Brown)

Fenton Village Players:
The 1940′s Radio Hour (various)
Annie (Charles Strouse)
Once Upon a Mattress (Mary Rodgers)
The Sound of Music (R&H)
Too Darn Hot!: The Music of Cole Porter (Cole Porter)
The Wizard of Oz (Harold Arlen and E.Y. “Yip” Harburg)