Samo choir echoes their Spain trip at Cathedral Classics
On Friday April 19, 2024, Samo’s top choir showcased their skills at the Cathedral Classics Concert, held in the foyer of Barnum Hall. This performance culminated their recent tour across several Spanish cities such as Barcelona, Zaragoza, Segovia, Madrid, Toledo and Burgos, where their melodious voices graced iconic cathedrals, including the renowned Catedral de Burgos.
Under the instruction of Jeffe Huls, the choir instructor here at Samo, the Cathedral Classics Concert served as a platform for members of the choir to share their hard work and breathtaking voices with friends and family through the repertoire they performed across Spain. The performance was meant to immerse the audience into one of the Spanish cathedrals as if they were following along on the journey. Huls emphasized the importance of the venue in providing a true recreation for friends and family to witness.
“It’s only in the foyer of Barnum so that we can try to recreate some of those acoustical environments that we sang in, in Europe. So it’s kind of like a welcome home concert and presenting for our community the stuff that we were able to sing abroad,” Huls said.
The meticulously curated set list featured a selection of sacred pieces that honored the rich culture and historical heritage of liturgical music. From the ethereal chants of Francisco Guerrero to the eerie Baroque melodies of Antonio Lotti and the modern twists of Kestutis Daugirdas to name a few, the unique brochure of music ranges nearly 500 years.
Intertwined through the night, noteworthy solos from Justin Xu (’24), Juliet Rojas (’25), Madeline Bryce (’24) and Hope Hamilton (’24) were instrumental in adding a layer of depth, emotion, and individuality to the concert.
When asked about how he landed with his final setlist, Huls additionally clarified the importance of choosing pieces that paid homage to the historical cathedrals in which they were performing. He ensured that each piece both respected and represented the historical significance of their surroundings.
“We were performing in cathedrals, which are old churches and we were required to sing music that is sacred in nature,” said Huls.
Louis Rotgin / The Samohi
Luca Lombardo (’24), Charles Blanchard (’25) and Adam Silverman (’25) perform at the Cathedrals Classics Concert.