The Cameron University Choir will be joined by the Gold Notes, CU's vocal jazz ensemble, and the Lawton High School Choir for a concert celebrating "The Color of Sound" on Thursday, October 9, at 7:30 p.m.

The performance will take place at Lawton's First Presbyterian Church, located at 1302 S.W. A Ave. The concert is open to the public at no charge; however, donations to Cameron University's music scholarship fund will be accepted. All donations go directly to music scholarships.

The concert will reflect both historical pieces and present-day creativity, offering something meaningful and enjoyable for every listener. By bringing together different genres, the program shows how each style adds its own "color of sound."

"Together, these works show that music is more than melody, harmony or rhythm," says Dr. Christian Morren, association professor of music. "Each piece adds its own shade of meaning - whether it is praise, change, love, hope or resilience - and when combined, they create a fuller picture of human experience. 'The Color of Sound' reminds us that just as no single color defines a painting, no single voice defines a choir. It is in the blending of differences that beauty, strength, and community emerge."

The Lawton High School Choir, conducted by Marckese Williams and accompanied by Janice Hicks, will start the program with "I Lift My Lamp" by Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne. This piece sets Emma Lazarus's poem from the Statue of Liberty, emphasizing welcome, community and hope. Within "The Color of Sound," it represents openness and inclusion, showing how music can unite across generations and cultures.

"Come Alive" encourages individuals to embrace their true selves. The song was composed by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for the 2017 film "The Greatest Showman." Arranged by Mark Brymer, this piece reflects the vibrancy that comes when diverse voices contribute to a greater whole.

"Carry the Light" by Andy Beck invites listeners to rediscover hope and light and, within the concert theme, shows music's power to illuminate and sustain, and Greg Gilpin's "Why We Sing" affirms music as a universal language. Within "The Color of Sound," the anthem captures the purpose of choral singing: creating harmony that extends beyond the notes into community.

The Cameron University Choir, conducted by Morren and accompanied by Tom Willoughby, will begin its portion of the program with "Sanctus" by John Leavitt. This setting of the "Sanctus" text is a hymn of praise proclaiming "Hosanna in the highest." Bright harmonies and soaring lines create a sound of reverence and majesty. The piece represents music's ability to lift the spirit and celebrate what is greater than ourselves.

Bob Dylan's "The Times, They Are A-Changin'" will follow. Dylan's protest song is a call for change and awareness. In Adam Podd's arrangement, folk roots blend with contemporary choral textures, creating new resonance for timeless words. This piece highlights the urgency of transformation as part of the spectrum of sound and human experience.

The ensemble will then present "In All Things Love" by Ruth Elaine Schram, a choral work emphasizing love as a guiding principle for life. Its flowing lines and warm textures remind us that compassion and care bring people together and exemplifies how music can express the bonds that unite us.

Jennifer Lucy Cook's "Time" explores the paradoxical nature of time and our relationship with it, using dissolving lyrics, shifting phrases and a contemporary a cappella sound to show its fleeting quality. The music carries a rhythmic pulse, sometimes compared to a faster-than-a-watch ticking clock, reminding us that time is both real and invented. Within "The Color of Sound," the piece represents life's constant motion and change.

The popular jazz standard "Fly Me to the Moon" serves as the debut piece for The Gold Notes, showcasing the ensemble's work toward developing a new kind of choral sound. Within "The Color of Sound," it demonstrates how even familiar melodies can take on new dimensions when interpreted in fresh ways. The Gold Notes is conducted by Khalil Cabrera-Tosado and accompanied by Doris Lambert.

Matt Falker's arrangement of Johnny Stimson's "Green Lights" draws inspiration from the idea of possibility and hope, represented by the image of the "green light." For the ensemble, it reflects growth in musicianship and fellowship. Thematically, it shows how music fosters connection and renewal.

"Everything," a 2007 hit by Michael Bublé that he co-wrote with Alan Chang and Amy Foster-gillies, celebrates togetherness, reminding listeners that music is more than melodies and harmonies; it is shaped by the people who sing and share it. With an arrangement by Paris Rutherford, the piece reflects how human presence and relationships deepen the meaning of song.

All three ensembles will come together for "The Storm is Passing Over," a gospel classic by Charles Albert Tindley, arranged by Donald Vails. Its message of resilience and hope brings the program to a unified close, affirming that even in life's storms, song offers strength and encouragement. This composition represents music's ability to unite us and carry us forward together.

For more information or to donate to the Cameron music program, contact the Department of Art, Music and Theatre arts at (580) 581-2346.

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