Cardinal Choral embraces southern gospel in “High Lonesome Mass”

The NIC Cardinal Chorale channeled their southern gospel side Thursday night as they performed their rendition of Dr. Tim Sharp’s, “High Lonesome Mass”.

Sharp is executive director of the American Choral Director’s Association, and even more impressively, is the composer of the selection of folksy, ragtime gospel chorus songs that NIC students, faculty, and community members performed that night.

Their voices were accompanied by a three-man folk band and a slide show of images seemingly depicting mid-1930’s America displayed in the background, offering an air of nostalgia and light-heartedness to the event. The show left audience members sighing in awe in the silence between songs, and dancing in their seats in between.

The performance, along with an introductory piece by the NIC Chamber Singers, and a cameo appearance by Sharp himself, was free, but choir conductor, Max Mendez, took a generous amount of time to urge audience members to donate non-perishable foods to the NIC food pantry in exchange.

“High Lonesome Mass” will debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City, NY in May 2015. 40 singers from the NIC Choirs have been invited to travel to sing in the debut with Sharp and other choir members.