成人头条

Liz Simmons has been singing in choirs since she was in the fourth grade. Now, as a singer in the 成人头条 Women鈥檚 Choir, she is experiencing something new: rehearsing a piece that connects singers and audience to the fear and impact of cancer.

The choir, named Las Voces Dulces, meaning The Sweet Voices, is working on 鈥淲here I Live,鈥� a powerful and moving oratorio about breast cancer that almost everyone can relate to. The seven-movement piece will be performed on April 28 in Grace Memorial Chapel on WSU.

Although there is no admission, free-will donations are encouraged, and 100 percent of those proceeds will benefit the Susan G. Komen For the Cure, Mid-Kansas Affiliate.

鈥淚 feel really happy and proud that we鈥檙e doing something to benefit Komen because they do such important work for women,鈥� said Liz Simmons, member of the WSU Women鈥檚 Choir. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to give back to them.鈥�

A powerful performance

Simmons is in her second year at WSU. This is also her second year in women鈥檚 choir. She graduated from Great Bend High School in 2008 and has felt the direct effects of breast cancer. One of Simmons鈥� cousins survived her battle with the disease. Her best friend from elementary school lost her mother to breast cancer at age 7.

鈥淭here are some movements that are really hard for me to get through without getting really emotional,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淚鈥檓 remembering my friend going through that.鈥�

Simmons鈥� knows the music will be a powerful performance that will help the audience see and feel many of the same emotions.

鈥淭he music itself is just beautiful and we鈥檙e hoping to do it justice,鈥� she said.

Simmons鈥� attitudes reflect the way the rest of the choir feels as well.

鈥淭he Women鈥檚 Choir members are extremely proud of what they鈥檙e doing,鈥� said John Paul Johnson, director of the choir and professor in the School of Music. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e just been singing really well and they鈥檝e been singing up to their potential.鈥�

The performance of 鈥淲here I Live鈥� features songs titled 鈥淗elp Me鈥� and 鈥淧eace.鈥� It has seven songs altogether and will end with a surprise performance by the choir.

鈥淚 think anyone who comes to this is going to find it to be emotional and find it to be uplifting,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like every rehearsal is a celebration.鈥�

Johnson talked about the emotion behind the pieces and what he鈥檚 had to do to keep those from boiling over.

鈥淲e鈥檝e really had to keep the rehearsals light,鈥� he said, 鈥渘ot necessarily focusing on the emotion that鈥檚 in most of these pieces.鈥�

鈥淲here I Live鈥� was commissioned in 1999 and still receives extensive performances across the country.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really cool opportunity to have,鈥� Simmons said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 different from the usual concerts we do.鈥�