The Wichita State University A Cappella Choir and Madrigal Singers, with special guest, the Wichita Northwest High School Concert Choir, will present "Left of Center" at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, in Wiedemann Recital Hall.

Tickets are $7 with discounts available through the College of Fine Arts Box Office at (316) 978-3233 or www.wichita.edu/fineartsboxoffice.

Tom Wine

WSU music professor Tom Wine said the title of the concert, "Left of Center," acknowledges an election year and some song selections that aren't typical mainstream choral work.

The A Cappella Choir, with Wine directing, will explore modern poetry with two settings of poems by e. e. cummings. Composer Randall Stroope sets the romantic "i carry my heart," followed by the inspirational creation of the world composed by Joshua Shank with the text "when god decided to invent."

The concert will open with two selections based on the word "sing." "Sing Unto God" by Handel is contrasted with the lush setting by Gawthrop of "Sing me to Heaven." "El Hambo" is a charming piece that Wine describes as "folk dancing meets the Swedish Chef (of 'Sesame Street' fame)."

The choir will have as guest artists two of the WSU School of Music's new faculty members, Selim Giray on violin and Geoffrey Deibel on saxophone. In addition, the new choir director at WSU, Michael Hanawalt, will guest conduct one of the concert selections.

The WSU Madrigal Singers are presenting "a collection of little ditties," said Wine, with short songs such as "Quick! We have But a Second," the reflective "Gaelic Blessing" and an inspirational song from Lord of the Rings, "May it Be." For vocal jazz, the group will present "A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square" and an a cappella setting of the Beatles tune "In My Life." Their program concludes with a Glee- style mash up of "I Feel Pretty" with "Lord, It's Hard to be Humble."

The Wichita Northwest Concert Choir, Amy Brown director, will range from the thick harmonic texture of "Os Justi" by Bruckner to the Gospel styled "Rejoice!" The Northwest choir has a rich tradition of choral excellence with consistent "Superior" ratings at state music festivals.