The UMass Boston University Chorus and Chamber Singers presented a Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 5 at the Peoples Baptist Church of Boston. Jeffrey Rink conducted the performance and was accompanied by Terry Halco. Dressed to match in white shirts and black pants, the University Chorus sang in the first half of the show and the Chamber Singers performed during the second half.

The University Chorus started with William Byrd’s “Dona Nobis Pacem.” Other numbers included a melody from South Africa, “Siyahamba (We Are Marching in the Light of God),” “God So Loved the World” and “Hallelujah,” their last number.

It was uplifting to hear a mixture of music from different cultures, especially with such a diverse chorus. The size of the chorus allowed for a large pool of altos, sopranos, tenors, and basses. As pleasant as the singers were to the ear, the music could easily have struck a chord in one’s soul. Rink was passionate as he wildly waved his baton to direct the rise and fall of the performers’ voices.

Following the University Chorus, the UMB Chamber Singers formed a semi-circle around Rink. The Chamber Singers were fewer in number than the University Chorus, but still had a sizable group of singers and percussionists. The serene atmosphere of the church was a perfect match for the lovely voices filling it. The Chamber Singers opened with Josef Rheinberger’s, “Mass in F Minor” which was a medley of songs including “Gloria” and “Sanctus.” Afterward, soprano Evelyn Lee-Jones sang “My Lord! What a Mornin’.” The closing number of the evening was “Le Chant des Oiseaux (The Hymn of the Birds).”

Rink is the Director of Choral Activities at UMB and has conducted notable performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Handel’s “Messiah” with the Handel and Haydn Society. Terry Halco has accompanied the UMB Chorus and Chamber Singers since 1993. Halco is very much in demand throughout the greater Boston area as a pianist and organist.

It was obvious to the audience that the University Chorus and Chamber Singers put a lot of work into the performance, though it sounded effortless. The department of performing arts at UMB gave a special thanks to the clergy and staff of the Peoples Baptist Church of Boston, Mark Vaz, Evelyn Lee-Jones, and Dr. Mitchell’s Percussion Methods Class.