Ensemble celebrates 30^th season with concert

By Megan Finnerty
Features Editor

His eyes sparkle when he talks about a gathering he hosted 30 years ago.

English professor, Clayton Lein, director of the School of Liberal Arts Honors Program, remembers when he founded the Lafayette Chamber Singers in 1972. It was just he and some friends singing in his home.

Now the ensemble is celebrating its 30th season, which will begin with a concert Sunday afternoon.

"Jacobeans at Home" begins at 3 p.m. Sunday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1005 N. 21st Street, Lafayette. This is the only free concert the ensemble will host this year.

The Latin word Jacobean refers to the reign of King James I of England, 1603 to 1625. The "at Home" refers to the fact that chamber music was composed to be sung in the home.

"This is the kind of music that people would've shared with their friends," said Lein, the ensemble's director. "This was a popular thing among the literate classes in England at the time, kind of like playing the guitar is in the United States today."

Originally, the singers performed music of the Renaissance. But now they perform music spanning 10 centuries, ranging from compositions cached away in musical archives to modern works.

For this first concert, the group has returned to selections first preformed in 1974 and again in 1980, featuring compositions by Thomas Weelkes, William Byrd and John Wilbye, among others.

"I wanted to give people a sense of what music was like before King James and during his reign, said Lein, who specializes in Renaissance studies. "The songs are playful; it's music that reflects a very buoyant England."

Soprano Jane Alexander, a counselor in the department of forestry and natural resources, is a 22-year veteran of the ensemble and she is passionate about music.

"I came to this group right out of college," she said. "I auditioned and joined even before I had a phone.

"The thing about music for me is that the appeal of it ranges from fun to almost a mystical experience. The best is when it's mystical and I'm transported out of my body and am able to experience something beyond myself…"

She said one of the most interesting aspects of being a member is that Lein, who she describes as being infectiously enthusiastic, is able to put the selections into context for the singers.

"Clayton is so well informed and gives us so much information," she said. "He's really able to bring us a wide variety of music and is able to tell us about it historically and socially."

Lein, who arranges and composes classical music, grew up as a music lover and credits his mother, a concert pianist, with giving him the gift of music.

"My whole life is art," he said, his face lighting up. "Part of that gift is the responsibility of sharing it. … It's about sharing the joy of music and art."

To do this, he has spent hundreds of hours researching selections for the ensemble, but said he stopped worrying about his time investment years ago.

There are a lot of questions I don’t ask myself any more — 'How long have I been doing this?' 'Will it pay off?' 'What am I doing?' This is just a total passion," he said with a broad smile.

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