Mrs. Adler took the High School Choir on an acoustics adventure this week. Students had the opportunity and privilege to visit and perform at three distinct locations each having unique acoustic features.
Students first visited the Mildred B. Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista. Located on a peninsula overlooking Lake Norwood, the architecture of the chapel harmonizes with the natural surroundings. Students learned about the chapel’s architect E. Faye Jones, a disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright and fellow organic architect. The choir sang several seasonal songs including the heartwarming ballad Where Are You Christmas? filling the chapel’s sanctuary with a beautifully, orchestrated range of voices. Though constructed of steel and glass, the chapel’s intentionally designed vaulted ceiling and intimate dimensions allows for sounds to be softened in the space. Each song sounded as if performed within a centuries old cathedral.
Students then traveled to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and experienced the acoustics in the Tulip Tree Shelter. Serving as an outdoor pavilion the Tulip Tree Shelter is miniaturized sectional mock-up of the Museum’s Great Hall, designed by architect Moshe Safdie. The unique design of the curved roof and opened sides allowed the acoustics to amplify the choir’s voices transporting beautiful, melodic message to visitors throughout the trails and grounds of the Museum.
The final architectural structure the choir visited was James Turrell’s Skyspace, The Way of Color. A unique stargazing, light show-sculptural installation the architecture’s inner chamber can actually serve as a small, sophisticated, acoustical auditorium. The open air oculus prevents the enclosure from reverberation. The choir performed O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen; the harmonies of this a cappella motet evoked a transcended of the space.
After an afternoon of warming up their vocal chords in these “pitch perfect” locations, the students then traveled to Downtown Rogers where the choir performed seasonal carols for the public and business owners. If you would like to hear some of the songs performed by the choir at these locations as well as others please visit the AAA Choirs facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ArtsAcademyChoirs