A reputation of excellence
The Whitworth Choir receives support from the Whitworth faculty, as many have participated in the choir themselves.
“I have always felt that the choir has been very loved and supported,” said Debbie Hansen, head of the music department.
Rick Hornor, professor of theatre at Whitworth and member of the choir from ‘66 to ‘70, also thinks that there is a significant amount of support for the choir on campus.
“I feel supported and I’m convinced that administration highly regards the arts in general and specifically the programs here at Whitworth,” Hornor said.
However, there have been concerns about the fact that the choir has no place to rehearse on campus.
“I sure wish they’d be more proactive in making a choir room,” Hornor said.
The choir’s tradition of excellence has been acknowledged in many different ways over the years outside of Whitworth.
One such distinction was an invitation to the American Choral Directors Association regional convention in February 2008.
“Some of our growth has been recognized by being invited to events such as the ACDA convention; and to sing at one of their conferences, one must go through a rather vigorous audition process and then at the end of that be invited to sing,” said Marc Hafso, director of the Whitworth Choir.
The choir also was able to go on tour to Argentina and Uruguay this past May, the first international tour for the choir in more than 40 years.
“It connected our students to other communities and cultural experiences, which also gave us the opportunity to present the same program multiple times in different venues, and that is a great educational experience,” Hafso said.
The legacy
From early incarnations, such as an a capella group and the Philomel Club to The Whitworthian Choir and now the Whitworth Choir, the group has continued to make music in many ways and through many venues.
In the past the choir has performed “Pirates of Penzance” by Gilbert and Sullivan and used to have an annual performance of Handel’s “Messiah.”
The choir has found itself under the tutelage of several conductors through the years, including Wilbur Anders, the first paid director, and Milton Johnson, the longest-running choir director at Whitworth.
Professor of music Marc Hafso is the current director of the Whitworth Choir and has been at Whitworth in that capacity for seven years.
“What I like about the choir is that it attracts a large number of students from across campus,” Hafso said.
Debbie Hansen, chair of the music department, is proud of the choir and its success.
“The students have always loved it,” Hansen said. “This is evident by the fact that they are willing to give up their lunch hour for it.”
One of the reasons students give for loving the choir is the many tours the choir has gone, including an annual Christmas Festival Tour to Seattle.
This tradition of a Christmas season concert began in 1934 with a performance of Handel’s “Messiah.”
“I know many people who still tell me that the Christmas season doesn’t begin until the choir sings,” said Rick Hornor, professor of theatre at Whitworth and member of the choir from ‘66 to ‘70.
The people behind the black and white
Beyond making music, the Whitworth Choir makes sure there is an emphasis on interpersonal relationships.
The way to building those relationships, said Marc Hafso, director of the choir, is through learning one another’s stories.
“We are not just singing songs; we are singing stories,” Hafso said.
Some people involved with the choir see it as a life-changing experience and are never the same after participating in it.
One such member is Rick Hornor, professor of theatre at Whitworth and member of the choir from ‘66 to ‘70.
“I just loved it,” Hornor said.
The impact on Hornor was greater than he could have ever imagined.
“There are certain songs that still stick with me,” Hornor said.
For instance, he said that he still gets choked up when he hears “Amazing Grace.”
Debbie Hansen, head of the music department also said that many former students consider the choir to be one of the most significant experiences during their time at Whitworth.
“All of the directors of the choir have worked hard to connect with the students and if you have people who are talented musicians and have a heart for the students, that has power,” Hansen said.
Hornor has some very strong convictions about the choir’s role on the Whitworth campus.
“I think the choir is critically important to the campus community,” Hornor said.
Hafso sees the choir as a good representation of the campus community, spanning almost every major Whitworth offers.
“The choir is Whitworth at its best,” Hafso said.
Ira McIntosh can be contacted at ira.mcintosh@whitworthian.com.
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