Living Sound And Song Programs
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Conceived and produced originally by Jesse Peterson, Living Sound and Song productions were multi-media events involving choir, orchestra, and drama, using narration and a full range of lighting effects including a scrim with projected images. The programs drew large, enthusiastic crowds and resulted in extraordinary promotional value for Evangel. The May 1963 issue of Vision magazine notes that some 8000 people attended the four presentations and that booths were set up for each event in the lobbies; these were monitored by faculty from various divisions of the college assigned to answer questions about the school and assist in the promotion of various departments, majors, etc. On some occasions, concerts were preceded by college guidance seminars. Jesse Peterson was producer and band director of Living Sound and Song for 1963, 1964, and 1965. Hope Collins directed the Concert Choir each of those three years. Vision Magazine recorded that I was associate band director, Harold Smith, composer, and Nonna Dalan, was in charge of drama, lighting and special effects.(1)
The first set of programs, in 1963, included four presentations: Detroit (Ford Theater), Chicago, (McCormick Place), Indianapolis (Symphony Hall), and St. Louis (Kiel Auditorium). (2) The Living Sound and Song tour in 1964 scheduled programs in nine cities: Springfield, MO (for Evangel’s homecoming), Memphis (Municipal Auditorium), Dallas (Memorial Auditorium), Beaumont, TX, Corpus Christi (Del Mar College Auditorium), Houston (Music Hall), Oklahoma City (Municipal Auditorium), Tulsa (Municipal Theater), and Wichita, KS (Wichita High School East). (3) In 1965, programs were scheduled in six cities: Kansas City (Music Hall), St. Louis (Kiel Auditorium), Middletown, OH (Middletown High School), Detroit (Ford Auditorium), Cleveland (Symphony Hall), and Chicago (McCormick Place).
No Living Sound and Song programs were presented in 1966, 1967, or 1968 during the years immediately following the loss of Jesse Peterson and Hope Collins from the Evangel music faculty. A final presentation was made, however, in 1969. Harlan Kingsriter from the Development Office did a yeoman’s job of setting up the concerts and handling many of the logistics. John Shows directed the Concert Band while I conducted the Concert Choir. Productions were featured in six cities: Edwardsville, IL (Meridian Hall on the SIU campus), Moline, IL (Moline Senior High School), Chicago/Dolton, IL (Thornridge High School), Louisville (Atherton Senior High School), Indianapolis, IN (Murat Temple), and Kansas City (Youth for Christ). An article in the March-April 1969 Vision Magazine noted that the program would include a classical portion and a patriotic section with dramatization. The setting “is the Civil War, and the original narration, ‘The Answer to Nancy Hanks,” is addressed to the mother of Abraham Lincoln. The closing section was entitled “Christ in the Space Age” featuring a original composition by Harold Smith (Evangel music Professor) “Let Us Look to the Stars” with words by Dr. Nonna Dalan. The 1969 Lancer explained that the “Three part program included classical, patriotic and spiritual music on the theme ‘How Big is God.’ The narrative was arranged by Dr. Nonna Dalan, associate professor and head of the speech area.” (4)