Two of the choral groups founded by Glenn Draper during the era in which he was director of choral activities at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will present a free concert in his memory, "Love and Loss," on Friday night in First Baptist Church.
The late choral director came to UTC in fall 1968. Over 36 years, he led the choral program to a nationally known group of singers who toured around the United States, to Russia, made multiple tours of England and Australia and performed in local and nationally viewed telecasts.
The UTC Chattanooga Singers and Chamber Singers will perform in this concert. Dr. Kevin Ford, current director of choral activities at UTC, says the program will include five sonnets written by local composer Ethan McGrath and "Lux Aeterna" by Morten Lauridsen.
Ford says McGrath wrote the five sonnets for the UTC Chamber Singers last year as a thank-you to the singers for recording a CD of his works.
If you go
› What: Love and Loss Concert in Memory of Glenn Draper› Where: First Baptist Church, 401 Gateway Ave.› When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8› Admission: Free, donations accepted for the Glenn Draper Scholarship Fund› For more information: 423-425-4601
Lauridsen is a professor of composition at the University of Southern California. He composed "Lux Aeterna" in 1997, the year his mother died, while grieving the loss of the woman who had introduced him to music.
Its five movements are based on various references to light from sacred Latin texts: perpetual light, light risen in the darkness, Redeemer-born light from light, light of the Holy Spirit, light of hearts, most blessed light, eternal light. "Lux Aeterna" focuses as much on those surviving the dead as it does on those lost while it conveys the search for hope and light after a great loss.
Ford says McGrath will play organ and piano on the program, and will conduct his compositions. In addition, the program will include other works centered on love and loss.
"We will end the program with the setting of 'When I Survey the Wondrous Cross' that Glenn performed so often. Singers' alumni - and anyone who sang with Glenn at any time - will be invited to join in singing this final tribute," says Ford.
The concert will be free, but donations will be accepted to help fund the Glenn Draper Scholarship for a choral student.