Mercer Singers for the win at Family Weekend Concert

The whistle blows, and it is opening game for the Mercer Singers this Saturday.

Mercer University's touring choir is set to begin their semester season with a concert during Family Weekend.

The concert will be held Sept. 30 in Fickling Hall on Mercer's campus from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

“It’s kind of the opening game of the football season,” said Mercer conductor Stanley L. Roberts about the performance.

The Family Weekend showcase is the first concert of the year for the group.

The Mercer Singers take the stage in the first half of the concert, and then soloist and small groups from the Townsend School of Music are featured, finishing out the program.

“We love for the [Mercer] students to come,” Roberts said.

Roberts also said that people with very little music experience will find joy in this concert.

The afternoon performance will feature a variety of music that the singers have been working on over the last six weeks.

According to Roberts, there are three pieces by contemporary composers.

The works of Eric Whitiker, Gjlo and Memly will be featured.

“A lot of people say they sound like movie music,” Roberts said.

“Unclouded Day” by Kirchner is the favorite of Mercer Singer Joy Mote.

Mote has been with the group for four years now.

“Kirchner took the traditional hymn and arranged it for choir in a way that highlights the positive outlook on life after death,” said the senior music major.

The program closer is a traditional gospel piece.

Finally, the Mercer Alma Mater and Fight Song will victoriously conclude the concert.

Mote explains how struggling with new music can be challenging with new singers every year, but that it is a gratifying process when the group performs for the first time.

It makes for a proud moment, the success of the group.

Roberts said that every year features the addition of a few new singers. For some members this is the first time they have sung with the Mercer Singers.

“A very selective group,” Roberts said about his choir.

This year only 10 new spaces were filled in the 48-member choir.

For Mote, this is here seventh semester singing with the Mercer Singers.

“Since this is my last year, I am trying to cherish every performance opportunity that I have left with this group,” Mote said.

According to Mote, the choir is made up of graduate and undergraduate students. There are music majors, athletes, science majors, engineers and other majors.

“I just think this group [is] a Mercer treasure,” Roberts said.