WCU choral ensembles to perform final concert before director's retirement

Western Carolina University’s Concert Choir and University Chorus will present a free concert at 8 p.m. Monday, April 25, in the Coulter Building recital hall.

For Robert Holquist, director of choral activities, this will be the final concert before he retires after more than 30 years of teaching at WCU. Graduate assistants Anne Schwabland, Maggie Jennings and Ashley Setzer also will conduct, leading the two choral ensembles through a wide range of pieces including “Gloria” from Schubert’s Mass no. 2 in G Major, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Pie Jesu” and the spirituals “I’m Gonna Lift My Voice and Sing” and “I Hear a Voice A-Prayin’.”

Instruments other the human voice will be involved as well, including Amy Shuford on horn, Tripp Lewis on clarinet and Paul Thiemann on cello for Rene Clausen’s “The Water Is Wide,” and “Psalm 150” for horn, piano and choir, composed by former WCU professor Paul Basler.

For more information about the performance, contact Holquist by phone at (828)227-3259 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .