Elgin Children's Chorus to perform African hymn

The Elgin Children's Chorus invites its audience to truly feel the noise Sunday, May 17, during its "Music Always 'Round Me" performance to be held at Elgin Community College.

The program will include performances by all four of the chorus' choirs and will feature an audience singalong of a West African hymn called, "Ise Oluwa."

According to the chorus' executive director, Ann Kepley, "Ise Oluwa" means "that which the creator made can never be destroyed."

"It's a beautiful tune, a lovely melody with a lovely meaning," Kepley said of the hymn. "It brings the audience and the chorus all together ... because music is all around us whether you're celebrating a joyful or sorrowful event."

According to Jay Kellner, founder of the Elgin Children's Chorus and conductor of two of the chorus' choirs, audience singalongs are uncommon in the chorus' performances. However, the "Ise Oluwa" hymn is different.

"We always strive to fill our shows with variety and this particular piece really lends itself to the audience singing along," Kellner said.

The program will also feature a Concert Choir performance of "A Little Jazz Mass" by Bob Chilcott.

Two members of Elgin Community College's Jazz Ensemble, Sean Francois, a senior at Dundee-Crown High School, and Geoff Dyon, a student at Elgin Community College, will also provide a musical accompaniment. Francois will play the electric bass and Dyon will play the drums.

Kellner hopes that the chorus, now in its 23rd year, will continue to hold performances that include a variety of musical performances to motivate students within the choirs and audience members alike.

"Students thrive on variety, they respond to it and it energizes them," he said. "Very rarely do we have the audience singing along with us, but now they get the all-around experience too."

The concert is at 3 p.m. Sunday at ECC's Visual and Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for students. Call (847) 622-0300 or visit elgin.edu/arts.