BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 5, 2012 –  The Master Chorale of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College will perform its fall Patron of the Arts concert, themed “Autumn Landscapes,” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 11 in The Arts Center.

Master Chorale

Dianne Brumley, Director of Choral Studies and Professor of Music Education, said the 60-member chorale has been diligently rehearsing the wide-ranging selections. 

“The fall concert is the culmination of the work done throughout the semester and is an opportunity for our students to showcase their abilities in our beautiful performance hall,” Brumley said. “The title of the concert is reflective of the centerpiece selection, ‘Autumn Landscapes,’ by Estonian composer Veljo Tormis, a challenging and exciting piece for both the singers and audience.” 

Selections will include a wide variety, from Renaissance Italian composer Palestrina and German Baroque Period composer Johann Bach to American spirituals and American standards such as “Turkey in the Straw” and “September Song.” 

Israel Hinojosa, a music education major who will be graduating in December of this year, is a baritone in the chorale who started singing and playing guitar with his father at church. 

“The Bach piece is definitely my favorite of the program,” said Hinojosa, a 2003 graduate of Harlingen High School South. “It’s a difficult piece to learn, but when it all comes together, there is a beauty that I appreciate all the more because it came with a bit of a struggle.” 

The chorale benefits from the experience of returning singers as well as new students who joined the group this semester. 

“Students undergo a rigorous audition process; we are fortunate to have so many talented freshmen,” Brumley said. 

Brumley founded and was the choral director of the South Texas Chorale during its 20-year lifespan. In April 2011, the South Texas Chorale Foundation Board established the Dianne Brumley Endowed Scholarship for Choral Music Excellence.  

“You can see the respect Dianne has for her students and her craft and the respect they in turn have for her,” said Dr. Sue Zanne Urbis, Chair of the Music Department. “Scholarships are our most powerful tool we can offer students to help them graduate in a timely fashion, and for many, to carry on Dianne’s work.” 

The “Autumn Landscapes” concert will last about an hour and a quarter, with a short intermission. There is no charge for Patron of the Arts members; for non-members, the general admission fee is $5. 

For more information, contact the Patron of the Arts office at 956-882-7025 or patron@utb.edu or visit utb.edu/patron.  

For information on giving to UTB and TSC or to create an endowment, go to utb.edu/giving, or call the Office of University Relations at 956-882-4324.