The Boothbay Region High School (BRHS) Seahawk Singers performed their Spring Concert, Tuesday May 30, to a crowd of near 50 at Southport Methodist Church. A dozen singers, under the direction of Dr. Mary Miller, chorus instructor, performed a variety of songs spanning genres from classical to jazz to a cappella spirituals.

The show began with the powerful “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi,” a medieval Latin Goliardic poem from the 13th century, set to music by German composer Carl Orff in 1936, which is a complaint to Fortuna, the Greek goddess of luck and good fortune. It opens with a slow pace and soft vocalizations, building crescendo to a thundering peak before ending abruptly. “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi” is the opening and closing movements in the cantata Carmina Burana, a collection of 24 classical music pieces from a larger manuscript of 254 poems, written in Medieval Latin, Middle High German, and Arpitan, Miller explained. “Primo vere” and “Ecce gratum” were also performed.

“Dance on My Heart” by Allen Koepke is a catchy and light-hearted ballad about marrying for love, not money and “Jabberwocky” by Carolyn Jennings provided a fun rendition of the famous Lewis Carroll nonsensical poem about killing the Jabberwock from his 1871 book, “Through the Looking Glass.” The energy of spring and the whimsy of the end of the school year brought many laughs to the stage during these cheerful songs.  

Chorus Captains 2022-2023 Grace Campbell and Rachel Barter were front and center for “You Will be Found” by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and arranged by Mac Huff.

Miller then led the singers through popular musical songs, “What About Love?” by Allee Willis, Brenda Russell and Steven Pate Bray, arranged by Mark Brymer, from “The Color Purple” and the bluesy “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, and arranged by Kirby Shaw, from the classic 1927 musical, “Show Boat”;  followed by Duke Ellington’s jazzy “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” arranged by Jay Althouse.

Miller gave pause before “Kali’s Song,” by Martin Donnelly, arranged by Donald Patriquin, to reflect on “what music means to you and how it molds you.” This song reminds her of her father, who loved being on the water, “for the sea called his name long before he was born.”

All instrumental accompaniments were performed by Miller.

Miller’s skills as a conductor came alive for the last two songs of the concert. Stepping away from the piano to conduct sopranos Barter, Suzie Edwards and Justine Marshall, soprano II’s Skyla Carrier, Ivory Cody, Hannah Hills and Chloe Joneth, and altos Grace Campbell, Sarah Harris, Rose Campbell, Rory Vaudreuil and Sage Wickline in two a cappella songs, “Ain’a That Good News,” a traditional spiritual arranged by Moses Hogan and “An Irish Blessing,” by Audrey Snyder.

Miller concluded the evening by recognizing BRHS District Three Choir and All-State participants Grace Campbell, Hannah Hills and Suzie Edwards and playwright award recipients Barter and Grace Campbell. It was announced that Suzie Edwards will be Chorus Captain for the 2023-2024 school year. Regarding the entire chorus, Miller said, “I feel lucky to have them.”