Concert hall debuts with ‘Hymn of Praise’ community concert

A thunderous finale of woodwinds, strings, brass, percussion, and vocals — the combined talents of two orchestras and seven choirs — resounded across Liberty University’s new fine arts concert hall late Sunday afternoon before the final swipe of the conductor’s hand silenced the performers and roaring applause erupted, concluding the hall’s inaugural event.

“The room sounded every bit as good as we hoped that it would,” said Dr. Vernon Whaley, dean of the School of Music. “The ambiance of the room, with all of the lighting [bright blues and purples], really complemented the aesthetics.”

The concert featured Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 “Hymn of Praise,” a joint performance by the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra, members of seven different Liberty choirs, and three School of Music faculty soloists.

“From the beginning, we have believed that this School of Music, and this concert hall in particular, could be a contribution to the entire region for the arts. It provides regional and local groups a place to perform,” Whaley said. “We were thrilled to be able to start off by doing something specifically with and for the Lynchburg community.”

After an invocation from Liberty’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ronald Hawkins, the Lynchburg Symphony began with a presentation of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Overture to Nabucco.” The first three orchestral movements of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 were then performed by the Lynchburg Symphony before a brief break, allowing Liberty’s students and faculty to fill the rest of the stage and choir loft. Then, the entire ensemble and joined together for the final and most recognizable movement, the “Hymn of Praise.”

The 1,600-seat fine arts concert hall is the final component of Liberty’s new 141,000-square-foot Center for Music and the Worship Arts, a state-of-the-art facility for the nation’s seventh largest school of music. The concert hall is equipped with the latest technology, allowing it to accommodate a number of settings, from grand to intimate performances. A variable acoustic system can be adjusted for different styles of music, from classical (like Sunday’s performance) to electronic, like contemporary worship or rock ‘n’ roll. (Read more about the center, including the numerous features of the concert hall, in the Liberty Journal.)

David Greenberg, president of Creative Acoustics, LLC, who has consulted on the project from the very beginning — about three years — said that you “never know if you have succeeded until you hear it, because every project is unique.”

After the performance, he said it was “wonderful” and “rewarding” to hear.

Dr. Christopher Swanson, conductor of the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra, described the experience as “exhilarating.”

“It was the culmination of a lot of planning, preparation, and people doing a lot of different things, and I think it all came together so beautifully,” he said. The crowd seemed to agree; they gave a standing ovation. “I was blown away by the enthusiasm and the size of the crowd.”

Swanson said that Liberty’s concert hall is a “world-class facility.”

“I think that this hall is going to change the landscape of the city in a lot of ways,” he said. “You are going to have ensembles, soloists, from all over the world who are going to want to get in on this hall. (The local arts culture) is going to explode.”

Students were clamoring about the possibilities now afforded them with the concert hall. Many said they couldn’t wait to perform on stage themselves.

“It was awesome to see my fellow students up there singing their hearts out to God,” said sophomore worship major Austin Butler. “We’ve been waiting so long for the concert hall to open, and we’ve heard so many good things about it, and this was just the perfect way to kick it off. It shows just how far this music program has come.”

Freshman Felicity Jenkins, who is studying instrumental music education, added that it was “surreal” to compare the setting to previous concerts.

“The acoustics and the aesthetics of this building are absolutely incredible. We are really blessed to be able to have this at Liberty and to be able to host not just our own students but (outside performers like) the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra,” she said. “The finale was so loud … having all the singers and orchestras combined, it was just incredible. It was a nice crowning achievement to have so many people here.”

Whaley congratulated students and thanked guests for joining in the historic moment.

“We want everyone in the university to really feel like this is their building, their place to make music and to meet and to appreciate the arts,” he said. “This is just the beginning.”

More events are on the horizon, including a concert by the Liberty University Symphony Orchestra on Nov. 3, Christmas on the Boulevard on Dec. 6, and the popular opera “Amahl & The Night Visitors” on Dec. 9 and 10. The Lynchburg Symphony will return on March 25 with the Richmond Ballet. All events begin at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit the LU Ticket Office webpage or call (434) 582-SEAT.